Alternate Infamous
by M3talhead
Summary: This follows the non-Cannon ending to Infamous 2. Cole is the beast and is creating new Conduits and unlocks Nero's powers but it results in killing Nero's family. Needless to say he's pissed, so he sets out on a quest for revenge. But what he finds is so much more than he could have imagined. Are the Conduits the monsters they're made out to be? Rated M for violence and Lemons.
1. Chapter 1

This story takes place in the universe where Cole is the Beast and is creating conduits in America. Currently the story starts in Colorado and will End in Seattle.

Disclaimer: I do not own Infamous or any character that make an appearance, other than Nero. (By the way, this is my first fanfiction)

" _Gotta keep going, gotta keep going…"_ Were Nero's only thoughts as he barreled through the trees in the middle of a forest. Everything seemed different now, he could see clearly and it had to be nearing midnight. He didn't know where he was going, but he knew the destination. The Demon of Empire City and his legion of Conduits.

Everything had started out as a normal day, or as normal as it could have been despite the circumstances. The super freaks, or conduits, were approaching from the East. From the last news report, they had just made it to Kansas. That's when he and his family decided to hide in the national forest with their closest friends and neighbors. It seemed like a good spot to hide, since the monsters were only attacking the major cities, or so they thought.

Most of their community was sick with a mysterious plague that started to spread ever since the Empire city event. His little sister was sick along with his older brother and his mom. He and his dad were well enough to do the jobs assigned to them. Well Nero actually wasn't showing any symptoms. So he and the rest, who were able to walk, were doing their jobs. Collecting firewood, preparing food, caring for the sick, and hunting. Nero was on hunting duty and had managed to bring down a deer.

As he brought it back he started to wonder if anyone was going to get better, along with why wasn't he showing symptoms yet? Everyone else was able to walk around but they had a horrible cough and were a little weak. The doctor examined him and he was diagnosed with the plague. But he felt fine and wasn't showing any symptoms. His mother however, had it worse than the rest of the camp. She was feverish and had a fever of 104 and coughed up blood and couldn't keep any food down. He hoped she could hold down the deer he was dragging back.

After dinner was prepared and distributed, he sat with his little sister and talked. She was feeling better that day so she could stand and walk.

"Nero, can I ask you something?" She asked nervously

"Sure Jess, what's up"? Nero replied.

"Are we going to die"?

That question froze him to his core. _Are we going to die? I mean there's no cure. No I can't tell her that, she'll get better. I know she will_. "No everyone is going to get better".

Jessica didn't reply, she just grunted. He let the silence sit, until she finally said what was on her mind in a hushed whisper. "Nero, I want to believe you, but I don't. I've seen what the news says."

It hurt to hear those words. His little sister wasn't a kid anymore. She had seen the evolution that was coming, and the Jessica he knew had grown up when they had fled into the forest. Before he could say anything she had stood up and excused herself to her tent. Shaking his head and yawning he decided to turn in for the night. If only he knew what was coming. He would have grabbed Jessica and gotten the hell out of dodge. His parents? The way they had abused them for years, still stuck with him. He didn't forgive them. He would have left them all behind with Jessica in tow.


	2. Chapter 2

It started with neon lights and smoke. He had woken with a start, and then the acrid smell of burnt flesh and smoke hit him. Next he heard the screams of the little community hidden in the trees. He rushed from his tent to see a group of five conduits wreaking havoc. Frozen he stood, taking in what he saw around him. One was a man in his mid thirties early forties shooting fire from his hands and transforming into smoke. The next conduit he saw was what looked like a girl, it was hard to tell because she wouldn't stay still for him to clearly see her. She was neon and running around faster than he could keep track of her.

What he saw next in that span of a few seconds scared the hell out of him. Never in his seventeen years on this earth had he seen this. A ten-foot tall armored Angel with a huge sword commanding a squad of demons. Scary yes, but what scared him was the only two conduits were standing still. An Asian women wearing a black tank top and her arms were covered in ice. The thing next to her was, he realized instantly, the Demon of Empire City. Cole McGrath.

Finally able to move he sprinted to where his little sister's tent was. He found her shaking with fear behind a tree near it. "Jessica, we need to go he said in a whisper" His voice stone and quiet due to the shock.

"But… our family" she said with tears in her eyes. He quickly wiped the tears away and picked her up gingerly. She did not protest for she was in too much shock. He started through the forest, silently begging himself not to cry. He didn't know where his family was or if they were even alive. His father, Mother and Brother were more than likely dead.

Then a figure that appeared to be made out of pure smoke manifested in front of him along with the Angel, though the Angel was actually smaller now. Nero froze, he knew he was caught and they would kill him. Carefully he set Jessica down, and used his last ditch plan. Fight. "Jessica Run!" He shouted as he lunged at the smoke conduit. He dodged the half assed attack and grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. Metal cuffs appeared on his wrists and he looked to see if Jessica had run. She was being held by the Demons. This was it; she and him were going to die.

The man who had smoke whirling around him laughed "I just love it when they fight, don't you Eugene?" He said in a husky southern accent.

"It just adds to the Hunt," Said the Angel in a guttural tone, who was also apparently named Eugene.

Nero didn't say anything, he had given up. They made it back to the clearing that served as the camp. There he saw mostly everyone was alive, hurt and burned, but alive. This confused him, weren't the Conduits supposed to kill them all and eat their rotting carcasses? His thought ended when he and Jessica were pushed to their knees and a hush fell over the camp.

The Demon of Empire City stood in front of them. His red clothes were torn, and the scar on his cheek shown brightly, as if recently healed. He looked out at them with an expression that looked hopeful. "I am the Demon of Empire City. I don't know, nor do I care what the news has been telling you. But we are not here to kill you because we can. We're here to cure the sick. But I can only cure those who have the conduit gene. I can activate their powers and save them. The rest who aren't will not survive the process". He let that sink in.

The demon scanned the crowd, his cold eyes digging into each person. Finally his eyes rested on Nero. He had to suppress the urge to look away. But suddenly, the Conduit smiled. It was full of malice. He pointed at Nero and said "Him". Nero was pulled up and roughly pushed to kneel at Cole's feet. "Be thankful Child, you're about to become more than what you thought was possible"

Nero's mind was racing. _I'm a Conduit? How? Why me? What is he going to do to me?_ He was about to find out first hand. Cole held his hands in front of him and a red glow came forth. What he felt next was an intense pain that tore through him. He felt as if every atom in his being was ripped apart and put back together. It felt like an eternity but it was really only a few seconds.

When he woke up, the area that had been their camp was a sizeable crater in the ground. He saw no one, and then he realized what happened. As the memory replayed in his head, he bent over and puked. "Jess, I'm so sorry. I should have taken us away from them when they decided to move. We could've gone to Seattle like you always wanted. I swear, I'm going to kill him." But first he had to get moving.

He didn't know what time it was, but the sun was setting. He felt weak, like he had just gotten over the flu. His body ached and he could barely stand. He started his slow trek out of the crater and into the trees. As soon as his foot stepped into the shadow he felt better instantly. But something felt off. He looked down and saw that he was covered in shadows that resembled smoke.

Alarmed he bolted back, and the shadows disappeared. "No, no, no, no why is this happening?" Tenderly he reached his hand into the shade of the trees, and the same shadows erupted from his hand. He focused on it and made the shadows retreat and then form again. "So I can control it." He grinned. "Well this will make it easier for me to kill him, as soon as I find out what this can do". His heartache was taking a backseat to his curiosity.

Over the next few hours he experimented with the shadows. He learned he could teleport from shadow to shadow and could control the shadows in the light, though it was harder to manifest them he could do it. He found out he could project blasts of darkness that could leave a sizeable hole in a tree. Experimenting with the size of the shadows helped him realize his limits. He could create three one-foot spikes of darkness and shoot them forward. He could just blast with no shape, or he could make a spear or harpoon and throw it hard enough to topple a tree. After hours of experimenting, he decided on a course. He would go west and catch up to the conduits. Join them, and kill Cole.

Sitting against a tree, exhausted from his efforts, he heard people moving into the clearing. Military by the looks of them. They spotted him and approached with guns raised. He started to sweat; this was the government Conduit hunters. Specially trained Ever since they found out Conduits existed. They lowered their guns when they realized he was just a teenager who was alone and scared. The leader of the quad approached and said through his speaker in his helmet "Hey kid, you okay?" Nero shook his head hoping they wouldn't use a scanner. "Can you tell us what happened here?" The captain asked.

"Cole McGrath was here. H-he, killed them" Nero said, tears threatening to fall and his voice was shaking. The captain shook his head empathetically, but then suddenly stopped. If the Demon was here, then the boy in front of him had been changed.

"Conduit!" He shouted as he stood back and raised his gun. Nero smiled madly. After the loss of everyone he loved and discovering his powers, he was stark raving mad. He stood up slowly letting the tendrils of darkness to spill down his arms. He held his right hand out and formed a scythe out of pure darkness.

"Listen here assholes, yes I am a freak, but I'm the freak who's going to kill that son of a bitch. I will not let anyone or anything stand in my way. So if you wouldn't mind GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY," he growled.

The Conduit hunters allowed no hesitations and shot into him. After their clips were empty and the kid had enough holes in him, they started to turn away and walk. But then they heard the laughing, gasping they turned around and saw him getting up, the bullet holes sealing with darkness.

"Hahahaha, you know that was a piss poor attempt at killing me. So next time, actually try," He stated with amusement. To be honest he didn't think he would have fast healing, he thought his threat would scare them. Looks like that was a bust. _Well they're obviously shitting themselves, so do I run off and find Cole? Or do I slaughter them for trying to kill me?_ (This is where you readers decide what to do)


	3. Chapter 3

**Evil**

 _Hehe Fucker's are gonna die._ Laughing maniacally, he stepped back one stop into the shade of a tree and promptly used it to transport to the nearest soldiers' shadow. To the soldiers it looked like he was crawling from hell through the shadow. The soldier froze in fear, as dark tendrils gripped his leg. Nero rose from the pond of darkness, scythe in hand. Still grinning, he swung he scythe at a downward angle slicing the soldier from his left shoulder to his right hip. Blood spattered high into the air, as the man fell to the ground and his screams of agony stopped. Nero stood, darkness swirling around him, blood dripping from his face.

It was his firs kill, and it didn't bother him one bit. The other three hunters started backing up. Nero let shadows pool into his hand and he blasted the farthest one, obliterating him. The remaining hunter's started firing, each bullet barely hurting him. He conjured a bolt, and sent it through the armor of one, piercing his heart. With the last one he teleported through his shadow and absorbed his life energy and bringing it into himself. With the soldier drained he let the corpse fall, dissolving as it did so. Panting he looked at his handiwork, mangled bodies and blood littered the clearing.

He let his scythe disappear, and started heading west. As he started through the trees he heard the sounds of more Hunters. Funny, with his heightened senses in the dark, he could hear them from miles away. Still he had to be careful, so he moved his body through the shadows, teleporting from shadow to shadow. Since the forest was thick, he could go for long distances.

When morning light started to lighten the sky, the teleportation started to take a toll on his body. So he opted to walk, it was still dark enough he could use the shadows in the surrounding areas to check for life. He picked out life, but they weren't human. Nero grinned, _so I've finally found em._ He started walking to them, but slowed when he saw them for the first time. A girl in her early twenties and a geeky looking boy that couldn't have been older than nineteen.

The girl looked like she belonged waitressing in an underground Seattle bar. Green army jacket painted with designs and dyed pink hair, with ripped leggings and combat boots. The other boy looked like the typical run of the mill geek. Khakis that were a little short showing white socks and brown shoes. Wearing a jacket that was colored brown, red and yellow with the hood pulled up. Nero thought he saw thick-rimmed glasses. He started paying attention to what they were saying.

"I don't know Eugene, what if Cole is losing it? That kid who was supposed to be a conduit practically vaporized with the rest of em," Said the girl with a New Jersey accent.

The boy seemed to think it over, rubbing a non-existent goatee, until he replied with "Maybe his powers activated right then and there and maybe it shielded him. Like maybe he can teleport or become invisible. I don't think Cole would've gotten anything like that wrong."

Nero started to wonder what had happened. All he remembers was waking up in that crater. Maybe if he approached they could tell him what happened. He started walking forward slowly just as the girl was speaking again

"I don't kno-Hey who the hell are you?" She said while her hands started to glow Neon. The boy beside her looked like he glitched out like a video game, when suddenly the angel from the other night appeared. Nero froze in his tracks, raised his hands up a bit and let the shadow swirl around his arms. Eugene and the girl looked a little more at ease with the sight of his powers. "I'm the new conduit that was created last night." He looks at Eugene "I'm pretty sure you remember me, you were with the smoke guy when he captured me and my sister".

Eugene only nodded, and transformed back into a human. He extended a hand "What's your name?" Nero hesitated before taking it, but he needed their trust so he could get to Cole. "Nero" he turned to the girl "Yours?" She smirked arrogantly before replying, "Fetch". He returned her smile and said, "Cool, now can someone explain what the hell happened last night. All I remember is a red light, pain and then I woke up in a crater".

The two Conduits looked confused. "Well after Cole used his power to activate your conduit gene, you practically vaporized. We thought you were dead and that Cole was mistaken about you being a Conduit." This was news to Nero; he thought they had left him there to fend for his own. He had apparently dissolved into the shadows until the sunlight came out. "I think I know why".

Fetch and Eugene stayed silent, urging him to speak. "I can control shadows and I figured out that I can teleport in the darkness and jump from shadow to shadow. So maybe when my powers were activated they were unstable and hid my body in the dark." Eugene's eyes widened and he finally knew what happened.

"That's awesome!" he proclaimed. "Can you do anything else"? Nero smirked and replied "Yeah I can do a few tricks, and they're deadly enough to kill a squad of Conduit hunter's". This seemed to shock them

"You already killed a squad of Chunt's? That's awesome!" Fetch replied to the news. "Not many new conduits have enough control to take on a squad and live!" Nero sighed, knowing that he was in good graces with them. "So where can I sign up to join you guys?" He asked. "We'd have to take you to Cole and then you'd be in". Fetch chirped excitedly. "Take me to him" Nero replied, with a smile lined with malicious intent.

 **AN: please review if you would want more of if you want me to change the story back to "Good" on the Karmic scale**


	4. Chapter 4

As they hiked to where the conduit camp was, Nero learned many things about Fetch and Eugene. Fetch was from New Jersey and Cole found her there in the aftermath of the first beast. Cole had taken her in and helped her master her abilities. His right hand woman, Kuo, had been their "mother" of sorts. Teaching them how to control themselves. They had found Eugene in Connecticut, struggling to figure out what he could do. So they took him in with their ever-growing family. They had one mission. To save conduits of the plague and to hell with the humans.

Their story kind of touched Nero, but he remembered the look on Jessica's face when they were slaughtering their little community. But he kept his face stoic and focused on the mission at hand. Soon they had reached the camp. Most conduits were in tents, a few had made them of ice, grass and vines, and stone. But the one in the direct middle caught his attention. It was big enough to plan out attacks and sleep. Inside the tent, was a stone table with maps over it and a mat a few feet away.

Standing behind the table was the Demon himself and next to him stood, Nero assumed, Kuo. Cole looked up quizzically at the new arrival. "And who might you be?" he asked. Nero couldn't talk; he was resisting the urge to rip his throat out. "His name is Nero, and he's the conduit you made the other night" Fetch pitched in.

"I see, well then, welcome to the family" he said with sincerity "What can you do?" he asked. Nero smirked; this was going to be easier than he thought. "I can control and manipulate shadows," he said with confidence. Cole raised an eyebrow "Is that so? Show me." Nero's eyes widened, he had just given him a shot to kill him. Laughing he projected a shadow spike at his heart.

 **AN: Let me know what you think of the story so far.**


	5. Chapter 5

An electric shield that Cole projected from his outstretched hand deflected what should've been a kill shot. He whistled, "Nice try, but that won't be enough to impress me," said Cole. Nero just smirked and concentrated on the shadow snake he was raising from behind Cole. Quietly the serpent leaned over to its target, jaws wide open, and snapped at Cole's neck.

Suddenly a flash of light and the shadow serpent disintegrated. Cole turned around shocked that he didn't sense it. The kid was better than he had expected. He turned to the source of the light. Victoria, one of the most powerful conduits in the growing legion. Her power was Photomancy, the ability to manipulate light and Photons. She could make flashes of light from her hands that would blind people, discharge beams that could cut through virtually anything, release an enormous amount of light that can vaporize a human and even transform her own body into light and make it explode (obviously a last resort). Nonetheless she was a powerful ally.

Nero looked to see where the light came from. A striking girl; dare he day beautiful, with long snow white hair that touched her mid back. Pale skin and bright green eyes. She was just a little shorter than him and was dressed in grey, torn, jeans combat boots and a white Bad Religion t-shirt. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and if he had met her when life wasn't so fucked up he would have already asked her out. As he glared at her she laughed. "You know Cole, if I hadn't been here you'd be shadow chow". Nero sighed inwardly; she had the most beautiful voice.

"You're probably right, which is why I have you on camp security. What are you doing here Victoria?" Cole asked as if annoyed albeit slightly thankful. "Saving your ass obviously" She replied. He just gave her a skeptical look. "Fine I heard Fetch and Angel boy over there found the Conduit and I was curious". Cole Sighed, "Seeing as how you're so curious you can give him the tour and bring him up to speed. I need to rest before the next siege. Oh by the way Nero, tomorrow I want more of a demonstration on your powers. You'll be fighting a Conduit named Hank." With that he left to the mat and Kuo dismissed everyone.

Victoria came to him and started showing him the main layout of the camp. Strong and weak conduits mixed alike as to create a balance. Latrines were built at each camp and a group was out hunting for food now. With the tour finished, she started asking him questions. "So Nero was that the extent of your powers or are you savings some tricks up your sleeve?" He looked at her confused as to what angle she was playing out, but after looking at her, he decided she was just curious.

"I can manipulate shadows, teleport through shadows, use darkness blasts, create bombs, and project bolts of darkness. Along with draining the life energy of people, create blasts that take the shape of animals and I can make just about any weapon out of dark energy." He demonstrated by summoning his scythe. Her eyes widened, "That's quite an impressive arsenal. Haven't you only had these for like a day? It took me a few weeks before I was actually powerful enough to do anything".

Nero scratched his head, unsure of how to respond. "I kind of had to learn on the fly, and I had to fight some Chunt's". She gasped, "You already killed Conduit Hunters?" "I didn't exactly have a choice" He replied defensively. "What happened?" They found me in the crater, and figured out Cole changed me. So they shot and emptied their clips. I was just lucky I was in the shadows." "Why's that?" She asked.

"Apparently I heal when I'm in the shadows" He looked away almost embarrassed. "Fuck you're lucky!" She exclaimed. "Why's that he asked?" She looked a little shocked but replied, "Not all conduits can heal like that. I can because of my power, but the general population can't so us healers have to heal them." That took him back, from what he heard conduits were all but invincible. Not everything he heared was true. All the conduits he met were amazing people and not monsters. They didn't like killing but they had to save whom they could.

"So victoria, tell me about yourself". He decided to flirt after all. "What do you want to know? You've seen my powers in action". He smirked "Well where are you from?" It was her turn to smile "I'm from New Marais, and Cole healed me when I caught the plague". Eyes wide he replied, "He's done that everyone hasn't he?" She laughed, "Pretty much, that's why we're grateful to him". He nodded "Well enough about the powers, what about your favorite things to do before all this" he stated waving his hand at the camp.

"I was a waitress at the café Du monde and I was a singer in a band." "Really what kind of band?" She blushed before saying "Punk rock, Bad Religion pretty much saved me so I was paying tribute to them" He smiled. "That's amazing". "What about you Nero? Tell me your story?" A haunted look came over his face, should he tell her the truth? _Fuck it I might as well_ "I had to work to support my family, my father was a deadbeat alcoholic and my mother was a cashier at a gas station. My older brother was a drug dealer, so I did everything I could to make sure my little sister was protected from everyone. It didn't always work. My parents. My parents were pretty abusive and I took whatever I could for her so she wouldn't be hurt too bad. But this time I couldn't save her." Tears were threatening to spill.

Then Victoria did something he wouldn't have expected. She pulled him to her and hugged him tight. His arms found there way around her waist. "You can make all the difference you want now Nero. You can save lives and protect the ones who will have your back. You're home Nero." He said nothing just held on to her and she did not let go. After a few minutes he let go. "So could you show me where I'll be sleeping?" She smiled "Sure!" She led him to the edge of camp where there was a small empty tent next to an occupied one. "You'll be near me, if you don't care. There's not much room at this site" He smiled. "I'm perfectly fine with that".

That night as he laid down for bed, he felt conflicted. He wanted to kill Cole for what he did. But for the first time in years he felt like he belonged somewhere. With Fetch, Eugene and Victoria and all the other conduits. _Go to sleep Nero, you'll figure it out with time. Just survive._

 **AN: sorry for the fluff. Couldn't help myself**


	6. Chapter 6

When he woke the next morning, he felt well rested, and oddly he felt at home. He headed toward the large clearing where Victoria had told him to go. There he found a large crowd forming a circle. In the middle was the man who caught him with his sister. Nero grinned; he was going to enjoy kicking his ass. Cole was waiting with him. As he neared Cole started speaking "Okay, this is exhibition only. No killing. You both are pretty powerful so I'm not worried about the damage you take." He turned to Nero "I just want to see the limits of your powers." Nero nodded. Still not happy he had to fight in the day. He was at a disadvantage, but the trees gave enough shelter he supposed. Hank just shrugged. Nero noticed he wasn't as threatening this time.

Cole started back to the crowd; he raised his hand in the air and bolt of red lightning shot to the sky. That was the signal to start; he realized too late as Hank thrust his hands forward and a blast of smoke knocked him on his ass. While he was still trying to get his bearing, Hank dashed over as pure smoke, smiling he raised his hand up and charged it. Just as he was about to bring his fist down on his face, Nero teleported through his own shadow through Hanks'. He now stood behind him, he tapped him on the shoulder, and as he was turning around, he charged his fist with dark energy and punched Hank in the face.

Nero laughed as he saw Hank fly ten feet from his punch. He got up, obviously pissed, and shot some fireballs at him. Yet again he teleported to Hanks shadow. This time he punched him in the sternum as he was coming through the darkness. As Hank was rising in the air, Nero grabbed his head and brought it down on his knee. Loving the sound of Hank's nose and cheekbones breaking, and relishing the sight of his blood. He started walking away as Hank was struggling to get up, Nero turned around and blasted hank right in the chest.

Nero looked at Cole, obviously gloating over his victory. Cole grinned and laughed. He leaned over to Victoria and whispered something. She looked at him as if he asked her something ridiculous. He jerked his head toward Nero. Sighing, she started over to him.

Nero looked at her quizzically. Then Cole announced, "Since the match was overly brief, Victoria and Nero are going to fight. A Photomancer against an Umbramancer, they're complete opposites, so this should be interesting."

She came over smirked, "This should be fun, I'll try not to make you cry." Nero only laughed in response. In reality he was nervous. How could he defeat her when she used light and he used shadow? _I'll figure it out._

When the signal came, he was ready. He shot three spikes of darkness at her. She barely moved, but the spikes disintegrated. _Looks like I actually have to think this one through._ He couldn't come up with anything because she kept blasting light at him. He would dissolve in his own shadow for a short time then repeat the process, trying to figure out how to get a shadow near her. She had seen his trick with Hank and had made sure to be engulfed in light so her shadow wouldn't appear. He ducked when she blasted at him again, then an idea struck him.

This time when she blasted at him and he teleported through his shadow, he transported to the crowd behind her. Before she could figure out where he went, he created a wolf of shadows and hurled it her way. She turned around as it was about to chomp down and shielded herself. While she was distracted, he teleported to the wolf and rolled behind her and threw his hands in the air, summoning shadows and even dismissing the wolf he swirled the shadows around them, making a dome of darkness.

She turned to him; eyes wide and slightly pissed he could figure this out. But the figure that greeted her was a different form of Nero. His clothes were made of shadows that resembled smoke. He had his hood up and his scythe in his hand. When he raised his head, she could see in the hood. What she saw frightened her; the left side of his face was pure shadow, but he had a demonic mouth on that side that was curved into a smile. His left eye was red and his right eye was blue.

Her knees went weak, and he walked over to her and gently placed his scythe on her shoulder and drew a little blood. She gasped–not out of pain though, it was mostly pleasure that she felt. The shadows were sharp, but somehow Nero was making it that she wasn't in pain. He hoped he was doing this right, he had sent waves of energy into the scythe so she wouldn't be hurt by his cut. Judging from the look on her face, she felt no pain. Nero let the shadows disappear and he was his regular self again. The crowd was silent and even Cole looked surprised. Apparently Victoria was the most powerful conduit besides Cole. "From now on, you two will be my special operations. Starting tonight, you will provide reconnaissance. Get some rest. You're going to have a long night."

"Victoria, are you okay?" Nero asked as they were walking to their tents.

"I'm fine, I'm just shocked that you can do all of that. And I thought you were going to kill me, to be honest."

Those words hit him hard; he stopped and grabbed her arm and looked into her forest green eyes. "I would never do that. I didn't mean to scare you, but I knew Cole wouldn't be satisfied until one of us was bleeding. So I tried to make it as painless and small as possible. I'm sorry."

She smiled at his sincerity, as she looked up at him she saw that he meant every word. "It's okay. Hey, since we're going on that mission tonight we won't have to do anything till then. Wanna sit and chat?" she said hopefully.

"Yeah, I'd like that".

 **Time lapse**

Victoria was finding it hard to breathe after a few of his stories, which involved quite a bit of debauchery, such as he and his friend wearing nothing but black speedos and masquerade masks and riding longboards down main street (Drunken dare). She hadn't had this much fun in the Conduit legion since–well, ever.

Nero was having a great time with her, and he hadn't had a chance to actually chill since he and his family moved from Louisiana when he was fourteen. He had taken a liking to her; hell, he even liked Fetch and Eugene. But Victoria, she was different. Most girls he had dated or talked to were just interested in his looks and his bad boy persona. But she actually wanted to know him. It was a welcome change; he was even enjoying the powers.

"Well as much as I want to continue this talk, we need to head to Denver and make a report by morning," she said smiling and trying to hide a blush.

He frowned, "We need to get to Denver? Tonight? Isn't that too far? And I don't see any cars."

She laughed, "I haven't told you that I can teleport."

His jaw went slack. "To anywhere you want to go?"

She smiled "Yes anywhere within a two hundred mile range. Since it's still light out, I can teleport us without too much trouble. But once we leave it'll be up to you to get us back here."

"Okay," he replied, "How does this teleportation work?"

She blushed slightly, "Well, um…" he raised and eyebrow at her

"Um, what?" he asked.

Still blushing she said, "It works better with physical contact. The more contact, the better I'll be able to teleport us."

With that, he put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "This work?" She couldn't answer, but she felt even more heat rush to her cheeks. She just put her arms around his neck and transported them to the outskirts of Denver. They stepped back from each other, still blushing, and started walking toward the city in the crowds of refugees. They blended in perfectly.

The city had changed over the last few months. The military had put up barricades at the city limits, and conduit hunters patrolled the streets and tanks were thrown in there as well. A heavy military presence to help people feel safe, but that wouldn't stop the Demon of Empire City. At this point, Nero didn't care about people; he just wanted to kill Cole. That and kiss Victoria. _Shit focus Nero, you need to focus on figuring out how to kill Cole, not getting down her pants. Mmm not that I wouldn't want to, body to body in the most intimate of ways… Fucking hell stop it, focus on getting through this then you can figure everything out later!_ He thought to himself. He looked around and concentrated on the people on the street.

Most refugees had varying degrees of the plague, so they were put in the quarantined sector. The rest of the inhabitants were slowly catching the plague, but no one seemed to notice. The only thing that could save them was Cole, he realized. He hated to admit it, but the only way some people would survive was the evolutionary jump. He felt Victoria loop her arm around his, he was excited, until she leaned to whisper to him "I think we need to head back to camp to report what we found" He nodded in response. He started leading them deeper into alleyways until he found one that was private.

"So how do I do this?" he asked nervously. She looped her arms around his neck and whispered "Focus on the dark and imagine the camp and just let yourself go" He looked at her, confused. "How do you know that" he was still letting the shadows spill from him. "I-" suddenly a flashlight was shined on them.

It was a Conduit hunter, with his rifle aimed at them with a flashlight on the barrel. Nero Growled and manipulated the shadows on the wall to the Chunt's right and made spikes shoot into him. As the spikes ripped through his body, he squeezed one bullet before succumbing to death's embrace. Nero heard a gasp and saw that Victoria was hit. Doubling over in pain, she pressed her hand to the wound. Nothing happened. "Nero. I-I can't heal it!"


	7. Chapter 7

He scooped her up in his arms and teleported to her tent. "Shit, hold still while I heal this okay?" She only grunted trying to keep her screams in. He sat down and put his hand over the wound to start sending dark waves of energy from his hand into the bullet hole. Working with it, he formulated the energy into waves that numbed her pain and pushed the slug out of her. After a few minutes he managed to pull it out and seal the wound. Once the wound was healed he kept sending in eaves to heal the nerve damage so she wouldn't hurt anymore, there would still be a scar though.

Victoria cradled in his arms looked up at him. "Nero?" he took a shaky breath and responded "Yeah?" "I'm feeling better, you can let go" Blushing madly he quickly released his hold; she didn't move way but stayed partially in his lap. Even though it was dark, Victoria could tell he was blushing. She took a deep breath "Nero?" again he replied "Yeah?" she took a deep breath and put her hand on the back of his neck and started to play with his hair. She leaned in to his chest, "Thank you for protecting me back there, and for healing me." He smiled and just as he was about to say something else he felt her lips on his.

He kissed back with as much passion as he could. His arms looped around he waist, slowly she started to straddle him, cupping his face in her hands. They kissed until they had to come up for air. She leaned her forehead against his. "Victoria…" She put her finger up to his lips, and spoke softly with tears almost falling. "I was so scared Nero, I've been scared for a long time now, that I would die. I didn't tell you this, but my sister was a conduit, and a squad of Chunt's killed her. I didn't want to say anything, but she had the same powers as you. That's how I know how you could teleport. And when he shot me, I was so scared, thank yo-" He silenced her with a slow but deep kiss that showed he understood. "I will protect you Victoria" She sighed. Happy with what he had said. Nero laid down on his back, her head resting on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "Goodnight Nero" she said before drifting off to sleep. He wasn't far behind her.

With morning's light, barely peaking through the trees. Nero gazed down at the sleeping form on his chest. She was beautiful, and with the few beams of light that were slowing poking through into the tent, it was the perfect moment. Suddenly it was whisked away by the sound of the tent flap opening up. He twisted his head around to see Cole, furious, his scar ever more prominent. "Care to explain?" Victoria woke, and bolted up right and shook a little. Nero spoke up "We went to Denver and looked around, but when we were coming back she was shot by a Chunt. So I got us back to heal her and I guess we ended up falling asleep." Coles' expression was one of concern now. "Victoria, you okay? I've never seen you take a bullet that you couldn't shrug off" She looked up at him "It's because it was at night and I was in the dark. My powers were weaker. Nero patched me up though" The Demon nodded. "Okay, rest a bit more and report to me in three hours"

"Nero?" victoria said cautiously after Cole had left. He looked at her, noticing her blush. "Yeah?" "Well last night, um… what does that make us?" She laughed when his face grew two shades redder. "Well what do you want us to be?" She pouted. "Don't make me say it," He laughed. "I'd like to be yours". She smiled, and kissed him. "I want to be yours too". He buried his face in her neck and held her tight. "Nero?" she asked tentatively. He looked up at her, "Why do you like me, I'm not complaining or anything, just why?" He looked at her with an amused expression. "You're an amazing girl Victoria. You're beautiful smart and I love your personality. Most girls wouldn't take the time to actually know me or would run to the hills when they learned my family life". She was taken back by his response; still she smiled and blushed a little. "Why me?" he asked.

This surprised her, and her face went even redder. "You're an amazing guy who wants to protect. I love that about you. I love the fact you protected me last night." He smiled at this, and kissed her again while laying back down to their previous position to rest a little more.

 **Time lapse.**

Cole stared at the map as Nero and Victoria marked where the defenses were in Denver. They provided a detail report of the amount of sick people there were, approximately where the quarantine was and the military presence. He grinned; this was going to be easier than he thought it would. He looked at them "This is going to help us substantially. We move in a week. Go around and tell everyone to get ready for a siege. As they left, Kuo looked at him "Doesn't it bother you that those two are an item?" He shrugged "Nah, let them fuck like rabbits for all I care. As long as they do their job and further our cause they can do whatever. Besides, he'll have something to protect." She nodded, "Do you think he still wants to kill you?" He laughed bitterly "Of course he does, and when the time is right, he'll have his chance."

Cole shrugged off his jacket, and pulled his shirt off so he could show his shoulders and back. She gasped, Kuo knew the Beasts powers were tearing him apart, but she didn't think it was that bad. His skin was starting to become the same molten substance that John White was made of. He was growing weaker by the day. Every time he healed the sick and raised new Conduits, it would consume part of his life. "I don't think I'll be able to see this through Kuo. The only person I could give my power to is someone who is just as or more powerful than I. If I gave it to just any Conduit they would be torn apart. They have to be strong and they have to have the will to do what needs to be done. At first I thought it was going to be Victoria's sister, Alexandria, but now I'm positive it's Nero. He may hate me, and he's haunted by his sister's death. But I can see he's learning how no one can survive the plague but Conduits. His sister would've died in horrible agony if I hadn't cured him; he sees that this way is painless. He will be the one to kill me, and once he's done that, he'll usher in a new era." He sighed; he just hoped Nero would rise to the challenge before he deteriorated completely.


	8. Chapter 8

**Warning, this chapter is a Lemon.**

Nero and Victoria started toward the last two Conduits they needed to tell the plan to. Fetch and Eugene were coming back from their round of perimeter check. Nero jerked his chin up at Eugene when he saw him. "Hey Nero, what's up?" Fetch said. He sighed, "We attack Denver in a week" Eugene eyes flashed with excitement whereas Fetch just laughed and exclaimed "Finally! I've been waiting for some action!" with that Nero and Victoria just wandered aimlessly through the forest. As they were walking he laced his fingers through hers. Still walking they entered a grove that none of the others had found or bothered to venture into.

Looking into it she giggled, "I think I found our spot" he grinned and sat down against a tree. Victoria put her back to his chest and they stayed like that for a while. Every day they went to their spot for as long as they could. Sometimes they would spend the night wrapped in each other's embrace. Each day their hands would travel a little further, but Nero had held himself back, promising himself he would let her decide. A day before the attack they ventured to their spot again.

There was nothing really special about their spot. Just a nice clearing, but something hung in the air this time. Still not talking she turned to him and reached her arms around his neck, his around her waist. Ice blue eyes met forest green. He leaned in for a kiss, but what he felt was something more. She was changing something about the kiss. Slowly she pushed him to the ground and straddled him. Her arms were no longer around his neck, but were slowly pushing his jacket off. He let her have free run and kept his hands on her waist. She started running her hands up and down his chest and started kissing his neck. He sighed, he had missed this type of affection for some time

She tugged at his shirt, letting him know what she wanted. He pulled his shirt over his head. She gazed at him, and admired his tattoos. His right sleeve was dedicated to music. Music notes, and lyrics. His left arm, a half sleeve, was dedicated to his three favorite bands. Slipknot, Bad Religion and Arch Enemy. Over his heart, were lyrics from Slipknot. "You cannot kill what you did not create," she read aloud, tracing the words. He nodded and leaned up to kiss her while slowly lifting up the hem of her shirt. She allowed it and her shirt was tossed to the side. He started kissing her neck all the while going lower and lower. She gasped when he squeezed her ass. Victoria reached down and started to undo his belt. "Victoria" he asked in a husky voice, "are you sure?"

She kissed him again "I've never been so sure about anything. " He simply nodded and undid her bra and let her breast free then rolled her over so he was on top. He started kissing from her neck down to his destination. He took a nipple to his mouth, eliciting a moan from her and repeated the process. He started kissing lower and undid her pants and took them off along with her panties. He slowly stroked her folds, relishing the feeling of her shuddering to his touch. Nero started kissing along her right thigh until he reached her soaking sex. He allowed himself a taste, just a small one to tease her. Then he drew back and started kissing down her left leg.

Victoria was squirming at his slow pace and breathed out "You're such a tease" he look up at her with a mischievous grin. "Damn right". He set down her leg again and finally started to lick. Focusing mostly on her clit and occasionally pulling it out, he started to up the pace, licking more furiously. Determined to make her cum, he slid in a finger and curled it. She was bucking her hips to his mouth and moaning louder by the second. A few more licks and him sliding his finger in and out caused her to climax. Her lower body shaking, he drew back with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. She took that as a challenge and pushed him back and started teasing him.

Raking her nails down his chest and watching him grit his teeth just made her more aroused. She started kissing down his chest and tore off his jeans. She teased him the same way he did. Finally she took his member into her mouth "Fuck, Victoria". She chuckled and the vibration felt too good. He pulled her away, hands cupping her face and kissed her. He pushed on her back and positioned himself, looking at her for permission. She reached up and grabbed the back of his neck to pull him into a kiss and bucked her hips against his cock. "I'm ready Nero"

He nodded and pushed forward, slowly so he wouldn't hurt her. Nero stopped every now and then so she could get used to him. Soon enough he found himself buried in her. Nero wasn't a virgin and had plenty of sex. But nothing compared to this. He realized what this was though, this was making love, it wasn't fake moans and meaningless. It held meaning.

Victoria dug her nails into his back, and moaned slightly into his ear. She met him thrust for thrust, and gazed up at him. She realized she was in love with him. This boy-turned Conduit, who was only a few months away from being eighteen. Though it wasn't her first time, she had never felt like this. It was more intimate, and it felt as emotionally pleasant as it did physically.

He picked up the pace and saw she was close to her second climax. He went faster until he felt her spasm, and then he slowed his pace and helped her ride it out. Victoria was lost in pleasure, but she saw he was focusing on her wholly, and not even paying attention to his pleasure. She decided it wouldn't do. She flipped him over so she could ride him and focus on his pleasure. "Victoria" he was cut short by her finger over his mouth.

"You've focused on my pleasure long enough, it's your turn". He simply nodded and thrust his hips in time with hers. Soon enough he was reaching his limit, so he teleported through his shadow so he was behind her and moved it so she was in a reverse cowgirl position.

Victoria squeaked at the sudden switch, and given the fact he teleported was unexpected. One moment she was riding him and in the next she was in the middle of swirling shadows. But not as unexpected as him sitting up and cupping a breast with his right hand, nibbling at the junction between her neck and shoulder, and rubbing her clit with his left.

"No fair" she moaned, but smiled and increased her pace nonetheless. With his continued ministrations she reached her third climax. As she tightened around him, he came with as much force. Thankfully he remembered to pull out.

Exhausted they lay there, naked and sweaty. Snow-white hair fanned out around them. His raven black hair was damp and clung to his forehead. Her legs were shaking and his breathing was ragged. She lay there with her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She looked up only to see him staring at her with a look of love on his face. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing would come out. She kissed him,

"I know. I do too". He grinned and kissed her forehead, and he decided to ask a question. "Victoria?"

"Hmm"

"So why did you decide now?" She tensed up but quickly relaxed. "We're going into a battle tomorrow and I'm scared".

He looked confused. "But it's during the day" he said. She playfully hit his arm.

"I mean I'm scared I'm going to lose you Nero. Daylight is when your powers are diminished"

He smiled. "Nothing is going to happen tomorrow, okay? We'll get through and we'll set out again. But I will survive okay baby?"

She let out a shaky breath "I love you".

He kissed her. "I love you too". She smiled and let a few tears of joy escape. "Promise me, you'll always be here Nero".

He sat up, and looked at her with a sincere expression full of truth and love. "I would rip the universe in two, just to be with you. I am yours immortally" She beamed and kissed him. He lay back down with her head on his chest and watched as the day turned into night, and night turn into day. He stood up and pulled his jacket on, looked at Victoria and said "You ready?"

She smirked arrogantly "Born ready". With that they set off to the rendezvous point.

 **AN: Please review, anything is helpful.**


	9. Chapter 9

Nero Sighed impatiently, Victoria along with the day crew had started the assault on the city. Laying waste to the city's defenses and creating a clear shot into the heart of the city for what Cole calls the Night crew. It was a special force handpicked by Cole, it was mostly the more powerful conduits that had the privilege. The crew consisted of Cole, Kuo, Nero, Fetch, Eugene and a small boy no older than fifteen with messy blonde hair, his name was Aaron. This Conduit could create massive storms, which worked in Nero's favor. Since his powers worked best in the night, the storm would make his powers even more deadly.

Then he saw victoria and the day crew, she had soot all over her but she was unharmed. He smiled at her and she came over to lean her head on his chest. "You okay baby?"

She nodded "I'm exhausted but I'm good." She turned to Cole "You have a straight shot to the heart of the city. Most of the tanks are destroyed and Chunt's are dead. There's just the capital building that's been reinforced and has most of the military there guarding it."

He nodded; Nero noted the bags under his eyes. "Let's go"

Aaron smiled and summoned a violent storm and made the city darker than it was.

Nero kissed Victoria and set off into the city. The storm that Aaron conjured was violent and windy. Flashes of lightning were ever consistent along with the rumble of thunder. They encountered little resistance on the way, just the occasional army grunt. Soon enough they found themselves a block away from the capital building.

"Fetch, go make a distraction behind the building, Eugene summon your demons and have them attack the sides, Aaron stay behind and under cover so you can keep the storm going and Nero. You and I will attack the front." He steeled himself, and nodded. Not even waiting, he transformed into what he called a shadow demon. Clothes made of shadows, scythe in hand, hood up, half of his face contorted into a demon and wings of darkness extended back. He grinned a bloodthirsty grin and teleported behind the defenses.

Before they could turn around and fire, he absorbed the energies surrounding the sandbags, barbed wire, and scrap metal. With it gathered up, he liberated it. Causing a devastating blast that leveled the land in front of the capital building. To Cole it looked like Nero had just killed himself with a suicide blast, but Nero was coming back from the shadows near him. Though he was back to his regular form and he looked paler than usual. His breathing ragged, he laughed, "I really shouldn't have done that".

Cole looked at him "Can you continue?"

He nodded, "Just need to catch my breath"

"Alright, I'll pick off where you left"

Nero watched as Cole casually walked to the Capitol. When he got to within ten feet of the reinforced doors, he shot a thick bolt of lightning at it and watched it splinter. Nero whistled and Kuo looked at him "Do you still think you can kill him?" his blood froze in his veins.

He looked over to her and replied, "I don't know what you're talking about" she snorted at his stubborn response. She dashed/flew into the opening that Cole had made and started freezing all who stood in her way.

Nero teleported into the building and shot spikes at the lights, so he could be in the dark. He sensed more soldiers, and he threw a darkness bomb in their direction, smiling as it blew up and they flew like ragdolls. Then more soldiers came spilling from the stairway. He summoned shadows and made it take the shape of an orb, he then crushed it and sent the smaller balls of darkness to the group and watched as the balls expanded into spikes. With the four that survived, he blasted one in the head, then teleported and swung his scythe decapitating one. He lunged and grabbed the one to his right and absorbed his energy.

He turned to the last solider, who was blubbering like a baby. "Oh God please, don't kill me. Oh God."

He had a choice, to let the soldier go or to kill him himself. He knelt down to the weeping soldier, put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "You don't have to wonder where your God is."

The soldier looked at him confused and afraid, and with no hesitation formed a punch dagger and plunged it into his heart, "Cause your God is right here. And he's fresh out of mercy". He savored the look of horror as the situation dawned on the soldier.

He stood up as Cole approached, the demon looked exhausted. "We have the capitol, now we can get to the quarantine and raise new conduits". Nero nodded.

They neared the zone, and Cole walked straight to the middle and gave his speech on curing who he could. He then witnessed Cole raise the conduits, a red flash and the screams of a thousand people. Then there were only roughly one hundred and fifty left.

Cole looked like he was about to drop, he looked at his night crew "Sort through them okay?" he leaned on Kuo and then left. Nero and the rest of them started to the group to calm them. Aaron stopped the storm, and it turned into a peaceful night.

Nero met many new Conduits that night, some scared about their powers and others that were excited. None of them really interested Nero, until he caught sight of a small girl who looked to be about fourteen. Strawberry blonde hair pulled into a ponytail, and a sweatshirt three sizes too big for her. She seemed familiar so he started toward her. As she turned around, the grief he had been fighting for the past two weeks turned into relief. He sprinted toward her, and she saw him. Tears streamed down her face. When they collided he knew it was true. He held tight and let his tears flow. "Jess?"


	10. Chapter 10

Victoria was pacing back and forth anxiously. Cole and Kuo were back right after the blast. Fetch, Eugene and Aaron had returned about ten minutes ago with the new Conduits. She had asked if they had seen Nero. Fetch had just shaken her head. Then as the procession came to an end, she saw him. A raven amongst the masses, and smiling like she had never seen him do. She looked at him again, shocked, and saw whom he was with. Jealousy gripped her for all of two seconds before she realized the girl was too young for him to be interested. He had probably just taken her under his wing.

Nero looked up and saw Victoria; he left the girl to walk the extra twenty yards and teleported so he was right behind her. She was confused as to where he went, until his arms wrapped around her waist from behind. "Hey baby". She smiled and sunk into his embrace, loving the sound of happiness coming from him. Then the girl he was walking with approached them. With an awestruck look on her face she looked at Victoria.

"You must be Victoria." She said. Then stuck her hand out "I'm Jessica, Nero's little sister". The blood drained from her face.

She turned to Nero "I thought…"

He smiled sadly "Yeah me too, apparently her powers transported her away like mine did".

She looked at her and smiled. "So what can you do, little one?' Jess shook her head and shrugged.

Nero looked at Victoria, "I was hoping we could find out tomorrow after we rested and maybe informed Cole."

Victoria nodded; "Camps already set up, she can stay in the extra tent you were using, you can stay with me mister" He smiled as his little sister made a disgusted face.

After they had gotten her settled, he and Victoria laid down to rest. Soon she was passed out and he wanted to as well. But his mind kept going over what he and Jess had talked about after he had found her.

 _"Nero! I thought you were dead" She exclaimed through tears._

 _"What happened Jess?" he asked._

 _"I don't know, I just remember the flash then I woke up near the city. So I came in and they put me with the sick. Though I didn't feel sick anymore." He nodded. Then he felt her tense up "Nero, why are you with them?" She asked sounding pissed. He looked at her._

 _" I joined them so I could kill Cole. But I don't know anymore, the plague is spreading faster and the only cure is the evolutionary jump and I found a family here."_

 _She was visibly shaking "What the fuck Nero? What about OUR family? Didn't you care about Mom, Dad and Adrian?" He looked at her coldly._

 _"No. The only person I cared about was you and I thought you were dead. After all the shit they put us through how could you miss them?" She was pouting and about to cry, "Please don't give me the look Jess. Look here's the thing. You survived which makes you a conduit. SO the safest place for you is with us. Okay?"_

 _She nodded, still scared "Can you tell me about it?" she looked at his neck where he had an obvious hickey "And who gave you that?" she said with a bemused expression._

 _He sighed, "That would be my girlfriend, and before you ask, yes you're going to meet her." She laughed._

 _"Okay, but Nero. You have to promise me something"_

 _He nodded "Anything"_

 _"You have to kill that son of a bitch"_

Sleep finally came to Nero and when he woke, the sun was just rising along with the Conduits. Victoria was still asleep so he pulled away carefully and headed to Coles main tent. It was already down and Cole was sitting against a tree with Kuo's head in his lap. He looked up to Nero expectantly, and he jerked his head to a more private area. Cole nodded and folded his jacket and put it under her head. The Demon got up and walked with Nero.

He stopped and looked at Cole "My sister's still alive" This surprised Cole and he frowned.

"I could have sworn you were the only Conduit in that area," he said

Nero shrugged his shoulders "She was transported away like me, and she's not showing any powers yet"

Cole nodded, "We'll work on that when we get to our next destination"

"Where is that by the way?" Nero asked

"Albuquerque" Cole replied. "Get ready, we have a long ass march"


	11. Chapter 11

**Two Weeks later**

Jessica screamed in frustration and Nero just patted her back. "We've been at this for two weeks Nero! What am I doing wrong?"

"I don't know Jess, maybe Victoria can help" she nodded. Since the two weeks Nero had found her, she had showed no signs of powers. Cole had looked at her said she was a conduit, so Nero couldn't figure out why she couldn't do anything. A flash caught his eye, Victoria was back from scoping out Albuquerque's defenses. She came over and hugged him.

"Hey Nero" she said happily. "Still no Luck?" He nodded. She furrowed her eyebrows and went over to Jess and helped her up. She placed her hand on her shoulder and said, "Alright, now watch how I do this." She extended her hand and shot a beam of light at the boulder they'd been practicing on. It exploded and Victoria jumped back, shocked.

Nero and Jess both looked at her confused. Victoria was a powerful conduit, but the sun was setting and her powers were supposed to be weaker now. But she obliterated a boulder with no sweat. Nero walked over to her, "Vi, try that again but don't hold onto Jess." She looked surprised but did as he asked. She shot a beam of light but it was weaker as it should've been. His eyes widened, "Now hold onto Jess". Realization dawned on her face as she blasted away.

Nero looked at his little sister. She was grinning like a Cheshire cat, "Jess, you're an amplifier!"

As they approached Cole's tent, Victoria laced her fingers with his. He threw open the flap and approached Cole. He looked up, his face was paler than it had ever been and he had dark rims under his eyes. He figured this was the toll his power carried. At this rate he wouldn't have to kill him. He'd just end up killing himself.

"Report?" he asked.

"The City will be pretty easy to take, and we figure out what Jess's powers are!" He raised an eyebrow at this. "She's an amplifier," Nero continued.

Cole coked his head, "An amplifier?" he asked. "As in she can amplify powers?" Nero nodded. He smiled. "This will make curing the plague easier. Keep training her, we attack in a few days." As they started to leave, he asked them to wait. Nero and Victoria watched, as he pulled out two bricks that glowed purple. He heard Victoria gasp.

"Blast cores" She whispered. Nero looks at her and the bricks confused. Cole handed them each one.

"I'm assuming you know how to use these Victoria" Cole stated. She nodded.

"What are these?" Nero asked.

"Blast cores amplify powers. It has locked energy from ray sphere testing and if you pass a current into it, the energy will pass into the nearest conduit." Nero's eyes widened.

"Where did you get these?" he asked.

"Military base" he stated. "They were trying to make conduits to fight for them against us."

Nero was about to prod more but Victoria pulled him out of the tent. She pulled him to where they could be alone.

"Nero, he's giving us new powers!" she exclaimed. Nero smiled at her excitement. But then he had a different thought.

"I'm going to give mine to Jess, I'm already powerful enough" She looked shocked but nodded. They went to get Jess, and found her in her tent almost asleep.

Nero gently shook her awake "Hey sleepy, come on, we have something to show you." She nodded and went with them. They found a nice bit of flat land away from the camp and Nero explained what he was going to do. Her eyes widened and she smiled and hugged him. "Thank you Nero"

He stood with her one hand on the core, and one hand on her shoulder. She had both hands on the core. What happened next was the worst pain he had ever felt in his life. His entire body tensed up and he couldn't see, he couldn't think and he couldn't hear anything. As he fell to the ground Victoria caught him. She looked at Jess who looked like she was flickering in and out of existence, and said her name. Jess came back to reality looking extremely confused.

"You okay Jess?" she asked concerned.

She nodded "I felt like I was everywhere." Now it was Victoria's turn to be confused. "Like I was in Denver, Seattle, Houston and even New Marais. Like I could feel myself there and I could see everything around me" she said in a dreary voice.

Victoria nodded "We'll tell Cole in the morning okay? Now can you help me get your brother into the tent?" Jess yawned but nodded and helped her half carry half drag Nero to his and Victoria's tent. After he was settled Jess went to sleep in her own tent and promptly passed out.

Victoria snuggled up against him under the covers. He didn't feel right though, he was feverish and out cold. But he would be okay. Cole wouldn't give something to Nero to kill him. Still, he was really warm. So she grabbed a cloth and wet it with water so she could put it on his head. An hour later he was better. He was no longer feverish and he looked relaxed. She let out a sigh of relief and let herself relax. Now that she had time to breathe, Victoria hadn't noticed how she had never seen him asleep before, She was always passed out before he was. Now it was her turn to see him in such a vulnerable state.

She pushed his hair out of his face and traced his jaw with her finger. She'd always known he was handsome, but seeing him like this just made her heart flutter. Victoria pulled his head into her lap and started playing with his hair. As she was doing this she noticed something off. He was shaking his head and twitching a bit. She saw his eyes roaming under his eyelids and his breath was uneven. He was having a nightmare she realized. Without hesitation she started to quietly sing a lullaby her mom used to sing to her when she was sick. With the soothing melody of her southern accent mixed with her playing with his hair, he fell back into a peaceful sleep. She wasn't far behind him.


	12. Chapter 12

The sun was setting when Nero woke up. Next to him was Victoria curled up and looking like she was in pain. He reached out to her but she didn't respond. "Vi?" he asked. The tent flap opened up and there stood Cole with his little sister.

"Good, you're up" he said. "I want to see what new powers you got"

Nero looked at him and said "I gave the Core to Jess. I don't have any new ones."

"Nero your sister is an amplifier. When you activated it, it transferred the energy to you and her. I don't know what you have, but Jessica's new power is quite impressive. Your little sister can split herself into different locations. The most we tried was four but I believe she can do more. She's basically Schrodinger's Cat realized. She can be everywhere and nowhere. It's one hell of a power and I believe this will make a difference for us"

Nero just looked at him with wide eyes, and then looked at Jess. "That's incredible, but first what's wrong with Vi? And how do I find out what powers I have?"

Cole just looked at him. "Victoria's fine, she's recovering from her blast core. And you'll figure it out by practicing. Come, let's go". So with that he let Cole lead him away from the camp while Jess stayed to watch over Victoria. When they were far enough away Cole stopped and started explaining to Nero how to figure out what he could do.

"Just focus on your powers and find what feels new. I know you're hurting all over, but we don't have time for kid gloves." Nero just nodded. So he summoned his shadows and looked inward. Something felt new all right. With the sun setting and night starting to overtake everything. Everything that was in shadow, Nero could sense. He could see as far as he wanted to as long as it was in the shadows. Then he let himself go and let his new power take control. He looked down at himself and realized he couldn't see his body. _So I can turn invisible. This is going to fun._

So he snuck around Cole who was trying to find out where he went, turned visible again and tapped Cole on his shoulder. He laughed at the surprise on his face.

"So, you can turn invisible. Things just keep getting better. Feel anything else?"

"I think so." Nero confirmed and stuck his hands out, almost like his body knew what to do. He turned his palms up and almost as if he was lifting something heavy, the shadows surrounding the area started to rise up and take form. As if Nero was a sculptor and the shadows were is clay, the pillars of darkness took shape. Five vaguely humanoid figures stood with them. Cole turned to Nero impressed, and then saw that Nero's eyes were pitch black,

Nero raised his hand and pointed at a boulder and hissed "Attack". The creatures were at the rock before Cole could even blink, and tore into the boulder with a ferocity that rendered it dust and pebbles within a minute. Once their task was finished, they vanished. Nero fell to his knees, weak from exertion.

"You okay kid?" Cole asked. Nero nodded. "Well we can stop here if you want or you can see what other powers you may have. By the way what were those things?"

Nero shrugged. "I don't have a name for them. I could call them Nothings but I'm too tired to think up a name. And I think I have one more trick." With that he summoned a pillar of shadows right underneath him so it launched him into the air. Once air born, he squeezed his shoulder blades and wings formed. With the wings out he could glide fro a little while but he couldn't fly. Once he had figured out how to control it, he informed Cole he was going to bed. Once he got to his tent he curled around Victoria, who looked like she was no longer in pain. He buried his face in her neck and passed out.

(slight) Lemon

"Nero. Nero wake up shug" Nero just let out a grunt and rolled over. He was sore as hell. Everything on his upper body hurt and he had a killer headache. "Come on I want you see what I can do!" He sat up and looked at Victoria. She looked so happy to have new techniques and he savored that happiness on her face. That and she was wearing nothing but his jacket.

"You gonna be training like that?" he said as he winked at her. She blushed a bit and climbed into his lap and kissed him. He put his hands on her hips and pushed his jacket off of her and leaned forward so she was on her back. He took in the sight, long alabaster legs, and a small scar where she had been shot to the left of her belly button, and on her ribcage was a flower she had coerced a tattooist to give her for her sister. She was beautiful and he couldn't believe he was lucky enough for her to have his heart.

He took his shirt off and quickly threw his jeans off and leaned to kiss her again. Then he started to kiss down her neck to her breast then lower. The next thing he knew he was on his back and she was on top with his wrists bound with a strip of light. She laughed at his puzzled expression "Not this time mister. This time it's my turn"

He couldn't deny her and besides, it was pretty hot that she was dominating him.

He lay there content and watched her get ready. When she turned around, she had a new tattoo on her back. "When did you get those?" he asked

She turned and smiled. "A few days ago when I was checking out the city. I _persuaded_ an artist to give me them for free" she giggled.

He nodded. "So why the angel wings?" he asked.

"Well that's my new power. I can fly," she chirped happily. "So they were fitting"

He laughed, "So you are my angel". She smiled at his pun.

"Come on we have to some reconnaissance on how many conduits are in the city."

"How can we tell?"

"Cole gave me this wonderful little gift that allows me to see the conduit gene" He turned his head to the side. Then shrugged and put his clothes on and followed her to the city.


	13. Chapter 13

Once they got back to camp, Eugene found Nero and Victoria and informed them that Cole wanted his elite team to meet at his tent. The team was Nero, Victoria, Kuo, Fetch, and Eugene, Jessica, Aaron and a few heavy hitting conduits that could control steel and concrete. Cole looked at the team "We're going to clear Albuquerque, Phoenix, Salt lake city, Cheyenne, Helena and Boise."

"And how are we going to do that?" Fetch pitched in.

"With Jessica's power. She's going to split herself into six different variations with me holding on to her and then She's going to amplify the beast's powers and create new conduits all at once. With her amplifying the blast, the radius should include some suburbs. Then Eugene will display a nation wide message to join us.

Nobody spoke. Their eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. Six cities in one blow? Unheard of, Nero looked at Jess and saw she was a stone. She betrayed no emotion, so he had no idea how she felt. So he spoke up "Jess? How do you feel about this?" She looked at him and smiled.

"This way there will be less fighting. And don't worry about me stressing myself, ten variations is pretty much all I can handle so six won't be a problem. Nero nodded; glad his sister was on board.

Cole looked at Jessica "You ready shrimp?" she smirked and nodded. They headed to the middle of camp so Cole could announce the plan. Nero took in the numbers the legion had amassed. Their numbers reached around 2,000. A human army that size trying to take over the US would be obliterated after a violent civil war, but 2,000 Conduits with more to come against plague-ridden humans? It wasn't even fair at this point. With Cole's speech finished, he placed a hand on Jessica's shoulder and they blinked out of existence. Nero looked over toward the city and saw the telltale red flash.

A few minutes later Cole and Jessica returned looking tired but unhurt. Cole wasn't exhausted like he usually was though Jess looked ready to drop. Nero went to Jess and helped her to her tent so she could rest. He looked at Cole who was discussing with Eugene. He decided to wait until morning. So he and Victoria went to their tent and lay there. Just listening to each other breath, his fingers tracing patterns into her thigh. Her fingers rubbing over the new (healed) Tattoo he had gotten while they were in town. It was amazing getting a Tattoo as a conduit, they healed pretty much instantly so there was no worry about taking care of it, and damage skin healed back with the design still there. He had found it fitting that he get Demon wings to coincide with her Angel wings. Soon enough they were passed out.

Over the next few days, Conduits from the blasts had come to them. But their numbers barely reached 2,500 and Cole and Jess were still making more in smaller cities in those six states. But there were fewer than there should've been. After five days of this technique, Cole announced that they were heading to Las Vegas and doing things the normal way. Jess was exhausted and they couldn't risk pushing her. Usually they would hit cities and towns near the main objective, but according to Eugene everyone had fled to Las Vegas to hide. Apparently the government had made a safe zone that no conduit could penetrate. Even with the new technique, Jess would still be vulnerable to a bullet. Cole could shrug off bullets. Her? Not so much.


	14. Chapter 14

**Four weeks later**

Nero stood up and cursed, Eugene was right. After marching for a month, they had reached Vegas only find that it was closed. Literally, there were 50-meter walls circling the city with guards on the lookout. 50 meters tall and 10 meters thick of straight concrete. _It had to be made by a Conduit_ he thought to himself. Though why would a Conduit make those for the city?

He returned to the spot where the legion had made their home for the time being. At first all he could see was desert, then the camp came into focus. From far away it looked like nothing, when one got closer they realized it was an illusion. In the last batch of Conduits they had received an illusionist. This way it looked like the Legion wasn't near Vegas and kept them safe for the time being. As he headed towards Cole's tent so he could get his orders he started to reflect. _Two months ago I vowed to kill him. Now I'm taking orders and helping further his cause._

As he ducked under the flap he stood next to Victoria and waited for their orders. After ten minutes he finally looked up. Nero could see more clearly the toll this crusade was taking on him. Dark rims under his eyes, scar practically waiting to bleed and his skin even paler. He was exhausted but he wouldn't, no he couldn't stop until he had succeeded or he died.

Cole looked at Nero "You and Victoria are going into the City". His voice sounded more like gravel than anything. Nero looked at Cole like he had grown a second head.

"And just how in the hell are we going to do that?" he responded

"On the North side, there's a gate for refugees and it's heavily guarded. But it's the only way in."

"I'm assuming they have scanner's, so again. How are we getting in?"

Cole smiled. "Our Illusionist Kim will place a bubble around you. It'll disappear once you get into the city though. So I wouldn't recommend trying anything. Just reconnaissance."

Nero and Victoria had reached Kim's tent and they could hear her singing a lullaby. As they peeked in they saw she had taken it upon herself to pretty much be the day care mom. There had been a few kids here and there since Cole had started his Crusade, but there were more coming with each blast. At this rate she'd need a bigger tent. Looking in they saw the youngest ones who weren't allowed to join the fight. They ranged from 5 years old to 15 years old. The older ones had chores to do around camp, and if they were sixteen they could choose to fight. The only reason Aaron was in the night crew was because of his power. Kim kept the young ones entertained and the older ones helped.

Nero and Victoria were probably the youngest fighters and more than likely two of the more powerful Conduits in the legion. But seeing this made them feel better about the Kids whose homes and families were lost in the blast. Their eyes were then drawn to the woman singing, she was in her forties with shoulder length curly black hair and hazel eyes. Her voice was beautiful and mixed with her powers she was lulling the young ones to sleep.

After she was done she looked at them, she really did look like a mom. _I wonder what her life was like before this_ Nero thought. She stood up and smiled.

"You must be Nero and Victoria. Come on and I'll put a bubble around you." She said and started to work; "Now stay close to each other and remember once your inside the city it'll start to wear off so stick to the shadows." She glanced at Nero's attire "Not that it'll be hard for you." They thanked her and headed to the City.

As they neared the gate, Nero began to sweat. When Cole said heavily guarded he hadn't painted a clear enough picture. The walls rose high above and in the face of the cliff of concrete, there was a tunnel made so people could get in and out. The tunnel it self was 4 meters high with towers on each side. The towers had two guards, each equipped with sniper rifles that were obviously modified for Conduits. At the mouth was a scanner so they could detect Conduits.

They waited in line with the other refugees and were soon being directed toward the scanners they had put up. Nero started to sweat but he kept an outward look of relief. He and Victoria were directed to place their palms on the scanners. As it looked through their DNA, Nero started a battle strategy in his head. Take out the guards' closest then teleport to the towers and kill them as quickly as he could. Then he was being ushered forward. Apparently this bubble worked well enough to fool the guards. After being allowed in they started walking into the maze of a city, but once they had taken a good twenty steps the alarms started going off.


	15. Chapter 15

"Fuck" Nero said under his breath as he grabbed Victoria by her arm and sprinted through alleyways trying to lose the hunters. Kim hadn't been kidding when she'd said it would wear off pretty fast, but shit he didn't think the guards would catch their mistake so quick. As they ducked and weaved through the alleys a man stepped out and pointed inside a building, seeing no other option than to trust him they bolted inside. He turned and saw the strange man close the door and deadbolt it. Now with the adrenaline fading he could take a good look at the man. Six feet tall and a strong build with a mop of blonde hair that couldn't make up its mind where it wanted to go. He was dressed in a nice gray button up shirt and a black pinstripe suit jacket, blue jeans and cowboy boots. Curious but Nero probably looked like a punk rock reject so he couldn't judge.

"Well it's about fucking time you two came here." He said in a joking manner "I was waiting for the Demon's shadow and the fallen angel come poking around."

"How do you know us?" Asked Victoria who was still catching her breath but kept her hands up defensively.

"Ah where are my manners, my name is John and I too am a conduit!" He waved his hands about almost knocking over a mannequin. Now that Nero could look around he took his eyes off of the strange man. To his disbelief they were in a tailor shop.

"Vi? He telling the truth?" he saw her eyes flash gold for a split second and she nodded. Releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding he stood up and extended his hand. John eagerly shook it. "So what can you do John?"

His eyes lit up and he smiled "I'm a fabricator, neat little name I came up for myself a little while back" his hands waving dramatically and shook his head a little "Anyways I can manipulate matter and make it into what I want to. See this jacket I'm wearing?" Nero nodded "It's not actually the material it looks like. It's basically spider silk mixed with Kevlar. This thing can stop a bullet but not your shadows so please don't try"

"Hold up" Nero said icily

John whipped his head to him eyes wide. "Yeah?"

"How do you know who we are and how do you know what our powers are, also The Demon's Shadow? And the Fallen Angel?" Nero asked confused and slightly pissed he hadn't told him anything useful.

"Well to be honest everyone here knows of you two along with The Demon of Empire city then again everyone knows who the Demon is but, oh yeah um, people know of you two and I figured it out by the way you were running away and by the way you're dressed. See Vegas is ruled by the remaining pieces of the US government but it's changed. A Conduit named Brick is pretty much the law around here and for some reason the Government backs him. I'm assuming cause he lets Allison Glass experiment on Conduits he catches so she can experiment on them."

"JOHN" Victoria and Nero shout at the same time "How do people know of us?"

"Oh right, back on track. See there's footage they've recovered from towns you've razed in your crusade along with combat footage taken by Conduit Hunters helmets. You two are the most known and feared Conduits here."

"Alright that's a lot to take in" Nero rubbed his temples "So who's brick?"

John pursed his lips "He's kind of like the Sherriff around here and he has a foot in the Government."

"Why would they work together?" Victoria asked

"If you ask me I think they ripped Bricks powers from some other Conduit and gave them to him" he said looking sick

"Well that's just fanfuckingtastic" Victoria drawled. Nero who was quiet during the exchange was clenching his fists.

"Who is Allison Glass?" He said fuming.

John gulped "She's some sort of researcher that does experiments on Conduits. I don't know much more than that. Hell I don't even know what she looks like. Every time she's in public she has a black scarf covering her lower face. Oh and also, her power is Glass."

"Well this got interesting real quick." Said Nero annoyed "So do you know ways through the city that won't get us killed?"

John gave Nero a once over. Black jeans torn to shreds, Converse falling apart, jacket torn and dirty and his hair was disheveled. Then turned to look at Victoria, her grey jeans were torn more than they should be and her combat boots were falling apart. Her once white Bad Religion T-shirt was stained with the grease of war. "You two go around town like that, they're going to know you're Conduits."

Nero Growled, "We don't have money for new clothes, nor the time. So are you going to help us?"

John smiled arrogantly "How about I make you two new outfits and you rest for a bit then I'll take you around town and show you where things are?"

"And what's the catch?" Victoria said leaning forward.

"Well first of all you get me the hell out of here." Nero and Victoria nodded "Second you let me design you some combat gear. I want to make your image and strike fear in the hearts of humans" He said as his hands kept moving around dramatically.

"You've got a deal, but here's the thing. I didn't join the legion to strike fear into the hearts of humans. I did it to save Conduits." Said victoria, her eyes shining

"Yeah and I'm only gay for the fashion sense" John said quietly "Oh by the way Nero I'm going to need to make you weapons"

Nero frowned "I can make all the weapons I need"

"Tsk Tsk Tsk. Look sweat heart, your shadow weapons may work against usual Conduit Hunters and military grunts. But I know how this city works. It's not just Allison and Brick who are the only Conduits. They have another fabricator in their pocket and he made armor custom made to withstand your shadow strikes"

"And how did he manage that?" Nero asked, not believing him.

"Well according to one of my sources, they ran experiments on a Conduit just like you. An Umbramancer, though her powers were a little different."

Victoria stiffened at that explanation "Alexandria" she whispered and started to shake. "Those bastards ran experiments on my sister!" She was visibly starting to shake. Nero rubbed her back, knowing to stay clear of her hands. John looked scared and regretful.

"Shit I'm sorry Victoria".

She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. Nero looked back at John "So are you positive my shadows can't puncture through the armor?"

"They all but bragged it after it was made."

"Alright, what did you have in mind?"

John's eyes lit up. "I was thinking a trench coat for your jacket. Black of course and made of spider silk and Kevlar. As for your jeans I can just get you a stronger pair. your shirt? Hmmmm" He started rifling through boxes and pulled out a black Children of Bodom T-shirt with the famous reaper. "I think this is fitting," he said laughing "Oh and it's made of the same stuff so you're protected. The last thing you'd need for the outfit would be these." He pulled out black buckle up combat boots. "Perfect, Now on to you." He said looking at Victoria. He snapped his fingers and brought out a white leather jacket with angel wings already stitched into the back. Her eyes lit up; next he pulled out a whit shirt, with an anarchy symbol emblazoned on it that hugged her curves. Next came white pants torn to show the black spider silk/Kevlar leggings underneath in the leg. To top it off Black combat boots.

"Oh yeah that's good for walking around. You two go take a shower and I'll leave the new outfits by the door. Oh by the way Nero you like Scythes right?" Nero nodded, to entranced by the idea of a shower.

Nero and Victoria stripped and stepped into the shower that had been set to the highest temperature possible. They both sighed in relief as the blood and grime was washed away. He started to move closer and she indulged by lifting her chin up to his. He wanted to deepen the kiss, but the shower felt way to damn good to do anything but let the scalding water wash everything way. Nero moved out of the way so Victoria could get more of the stream, and he started to massage her. Soon he wrapped his arms around her waist and she sunk into him. They stayed that way until the hot water cut off.

They promptly jumped out and cussed. In the room over they heard John laughing. "F-Fucker" Nero said through clenched teeth.

After they were done they dried off and put the new clothes John had laid out and went back into the main room. Apparently this tailor shop doubled as his home. When they found him he was in the process of making a dangerous looking scythe, which was of course, black. He kept at it and soon it was complete. He held up the finished product. The staff itself was five foot and the blade protruding out of it was two and a half feet with a wicked curve. On the top of the blade it was serrated in two places and then came to a point toward the back of the scythe.

What he did next surprised Nero, he took the blade and folded it like a knife then he folded the bottom half of the staff up. It was compact and easy to transport. With the demonstration done he snapped it back and handed it to Nero. He was expecting something extremely heavy, but it was almost as light as his shadow blade.

"Got anything I can test this on?" he asked.

"I though you'd never ask" John said as he smiled madly. He pulled out some conduit hunter armor from under the desk and strapped it to a mannequin. Nero channeled dark energy into his new scythe and swung at a downward angle and sliced clean through the mannequin with no resistance. Nero whistled at the cut.

"John this thing is great."

"Good glad you like it! But while I take you around it stays here. But you can take these instead." John handed him two daggers. About a foot and a half in length and serrated on both sides for the first quarter and then straight and sharp for the rest of the length. They looked deadly and easy enough to use.

"Now I've got hoodie you can wear so you can conceal those since I haven't finished your jacket yet." He turned around to see Nero dissolving the dagger into to darkness and watched them disappear. "Oi mother…" Nero interrupted him.

"Relax John I just hid them in the Void." He seemingly pulled the dagger from nothing. "I can put things in the void that I need to hide. See when I form weapons I pull from the Void and I make it take the shape of what I want. Generally it's a scythe since they're easy to use. But I can use these too." John nodded.

For the next three hours John took them around the town and showed them the weak spots and where the most heavily fortified areas where. As they were walking back a thought occurred to Nero.

"John. How did you know I liked scythes? I mean I didn't think there was any solid footage of us?"

"They circulate footage of all the conduits they can get a clean view of. So you, victoria, Cole, and that little girl he has now are being circulated. I mean there are more they've got footage of, but you four are the most dangerous and easily recognizable. But it's Nero that really scares the hell out of most people."

"Why's that?" Victoria asked furrowing her eyebrows.

"Well one No one knows his real name except us. He's known as either Shadow, Death incarnate, the pale rider, the reaper or the more common name people have branded you with, The Demon's Shadow."

"Well they're not wrong" Nero stated. "Wait what footage have they been circulating?"

"They circulate names and faces of all conduits they can just in case they get into the city. Which you two obviously did and is why I had to change your clothes."

"Where do they circulate it?" Nero asked, curious.

"Curiosity killed the cat, shadow"

"And knowledge brought it back." He responded

"Well shit. Alright follow me."

He took them to one of the busier streets. As Nero looked around he was amazed people were still driving and taking cabs. Life here hadn't stopped, it had merely adapted. People went about their days and shops were still in business. While he was looking around, John pulled them to an alleyway and put a baseball cap on Nero and helped Victoria put her hair in a bun and put a beanie on. Then he took some make up and turned to Nero

"You're joking" John just shook his head. Nero sighed and let him apply the make up. When he looked in the puddle beside him he saw that John had made his complexion darker and had somehow managed to add what looked like a healed scar on his jaw. John was a pro. With victoria he just dolled her up a bit with Smokey eyes and some red lipstick. He then looked across a street at a large TV that had been installed for public service announcements and such. It was looping through Conduit Profiles.

 **If seen DO NOT APPROACH. Call the Conduit Hunters and the threat will be taken care of. If you see any of these monsters report them immediately.**

Below it showed pictures of the typical Conduits that were in the legion. They found some names but not all. What stunned him next was when a still picture of him popped up along with a picture of Victoria. Below their faces it gave an explanation of them and their powers. Below his it read…

 **Name: N/A**

 **Alias: The demon's Shadow, Shadow, Pale Rider, Reaper etc.**

 **Powers: Darkness.**

 **Height: 6'**

 **Age: 18-20**

 **Danger level: 10.**

 **Do not approach under any circumstances. Call this number 000-606-0600 instead of the Conduit Hunters. Even if it might not be him.**

Below Victoria's picture was the same deal.

 **Name: Victoria Lavernge.**

 **Alias: Angelfire, The Fallen Angel, Angel.**

 **Powers: Light and photon manipulation**

 **Height: 5'5**

 **Age: 18-23**

 **Danger level: 8**

 **Do not approach under any circumstances. Call this number 000-606-0600 instead of the Conduit Hunters. Even if it might not be her.**

What came next after a few minutes of their faces being up, they started playing footage of Victoria in battle. It started with street cameras and that had a good vantage point. It showed her in fuzzy detail blasting Chunt's with light and and even sending concentrated beans of light through them. Next it panned to the Chunt's point of view, he was on his back and it showed her. Her expression was furious and she had a homicidal glare. Victoria raised her hands and the footage went blank. Next it showed Nero.

It showed when the first squad had found him. He watched himself form that scythe and scream for them to get the hell out of his way. He felt victoria flinch when the bullets tore through him. Then he watched his first kill from that poor bastards helmet cam. He saw the scythe come down and rip through him like tissue paper. The soldier fell back and it showed how Nero killed the rest of them. He wasn't proud of this but he wasn't sickened by it. But what he saw next pissed him off.

"Oh god please, don't kill me. Oh God." He saw himself kneel in front of the soldier. He knew what was coming. He heard himself say "You don't have to wonder where your god is." And he saw the punch dagger plunge into the soldier's chest. Then he heard those words "Cause your god is right here. And he's fresh out of mercy."


	16. Chapter 16

Nero watched with sick curiosity, suddenly realizing this was how the world saw him, a monster, The Demon's Shadow, with a god complex like none other. He looked around at the people watching his deeds and grinned at their horrified expressions. Beside him Victoria slipped her hand into his and squeezed tight. He glanced over and saw her grinning.

"That's my homicidal baby," she whispered into his ear.

"I didn't think you'd be okay with that." He replied

"After what those bastards did to Alexandria, I'm more than willing to do even worse" She said, her voice steel. He looked back at the screen and a white-hot fury lit inside him. "What the fuck?" Victoria whispered. On the screen it showed a "Breaking news" banner, and it showed him and victoria kissing and cuddling. Then it panned to them in the middle of having sex. Her back was to the camera then she arched back and it gave a clear shot of Nero's face.

"Those fucking pervs." Growled Nero through clenched teeth. Victoria was red in the face but was as equally pissed. As they kept watching it cut to video or a woman in a grey business suit with a black scarf covering her lower face. Her eyes were silver and her hair was cut short and black.

"Good citizens of Las Vegas. I'm terribly sorry to broadcast those images. But we in the Bureau of Conduit Investigations just came across the footage and realized The Demon's Shadow and Victoria Lavernge are in fact in a romantic relationship. With this in mind, we received news earlier today that two Conduits infiltrated the city. Both matching the descriptions we have. If you see a couple dressed in white and black call the CHU immediately."(Conduit Hunter Unit)

"We need to start moving. Slowly though, we don't want to attract attention." John said quietly. Nero simply nodded and let go of Victoria's hand. Soon enough they were back at John's tailor shop, as soon as the door closed Nero took the scythe on the table and utterly destroyed more chest pieces of armor. As for Victoria she was too embarrassed to look John in the face,

"Oh honey I really don't care." John said nonchalantly

"John who was that woman? Allison Glass? Nero asked. John noted the metaphorical steam rising from his head and nodded quickly.

"I can't believe they snuck up on us and filmed it. God that's just sick" Victoria said sounding sick and unbelievably pissed off.

"Well it's over and they broadcasted it. She'll pay soon enough, for now we need to focus on survival" with that, his stomach growled. "Hey John you go any food?"

John was fussing over materials and making into a jacket, he jerked his head to a fridge. Nero quickly raided it finding leftover pizza and tea. He shrugged and heated up the slices and sat down to eat. Rather quickly, John called him over to try on the jacket. Which was more like a hoodie and a trench coat combined. The hoodie underneath was red and had a gold zipper. The trench coat was black with straps and buttons along the side. On the back was an image of two scythes crossed over each other with a skull in he middle. On the arms were little red scythes. As he looked in the mirror he realized something.

"DMC, Really?" at this point John was laughing his ass off.

"I couldn't help myself. I mean your name is Nero and then DMC" he couldn't continue. Nero just shook his head and looked again. It was well done, it was light and flexible but he felt more protected in it. "Wait, wait, wait. Please let me dye your hair white" he burst into more laughter.

"Yeah how about no"

"Okay so anyways back on topic. How are we taking Vegas from Brick and Glass?" Victoria asked.

Nero furrowed his eyebrows and brought his finders up to his chin. As he sat there he started to grin. John leaned over to Victoria "That face mean he has a plan?" Victoria smirked and nodded. Nero stood up and told them his plan.

"It's reckless enough that it just might work" John commented. "But are you sure you can pull your part off?"

Nero simply shrugged. "I have to."

Victoria teleported them to camp after John had collected his things. Mostly suits. Then they set to Coles tent. He looked up at them and the newcomer who was fidgeting like a squirrel on cocaine. "Who's the new guy?" John stuck his hand out and shook Cole's vigorously.

"Name's John. Have to say I'm truly honored to help" Cole smiled awkwardly and looked to Nero for an explanation.

"We have a report on Vegas and you're not going to like it."

Cole remained emotionless through their report. "So there are two conduits pretty much controlling the remaining government. And they call themselves the Bureau of Conduit Investigations? Along with that they have info on Conduits. Well this is fucked. So tell me your plan Nero." Nero did just that. "You sure it'll work?"

"It has to." Replied Nero

* * *

"You sure about this?" Jess asked skeptically.

'Yes. If you charge an item with your power it should amplify mine."

"Alright." She glanced at her brother worriedly. "Nero I don't like this. It's too risky. Why don't I just teleport Cole and I in and do what we've been doing?"

"Because there are more troops here and a lot more snipers than any other town. They could get a shot off at you before Cole created new conduits." He stated, "Cole can shrug a bullet off. You can't and I'm not putting you in that kind of danger."

"Then why are you doing the risky part?"

"Because I'm one of the only ones who can bring that wall down and do what needs to be done. It's my plan and I don't feel like sending in someone who could screw it up." She wasn't happy but she nodded and worked on his necklace.

Jess held a skull shaped necklace that Nero had brought her and concentrated for a moment before handing it to Nero. She then took a sun necklace and did the same. Nero hugged her and they returned to the staging area where John was giving a presentation on the weak spots of Vegas. One in particular on the west side was where they were going to sneak in and spread through the city and wait for Nero's signal to attack.

Nero looked at the map Eugene was manifesting. It was 3D and showed every detail they could give him. The Military base which was at one point the Luxor and strong spots throughout. There were civilian sectors, which Cole had said to stay away from until the fighting was over. He looked to where John was motioning. The west side weak spot. Only thirty Conduits were going in to spread through the city. They were to attack once Nero gave his signal, and when he looked at his objective, he grew Nervous. How was he supposed to bring down the wall? The fifty-meter wall that was ten meters thick. He didn't think he could do it. But when he looked at Victoria and the rest who were going in, he couldn't afford to fuck up.

When the meeting was done and everyone was heading to Kim's tent to get set up, Nero sought out Victoria. "Hey, I have something for you" he said as he held out her necklace. She smiled, turned around and held her hair up so he could place it around her neck.

"What's the special occasion?" She asked.

"I had Jess make some portable amplifiers so she wouldn't have to be there. Also I just really wanted to get you something." He added quickly.

She turned around and kissed him. "I have to go." He nodded and turned to go "Nero," he glanced back "I love you."

He smiled "I love you too."

* * *

Nero glanced at his watch. 5:50 AM. It was time for him to bring down a wall. He stood up and just as he was about to teleport to his spot he heard a voice. It sounded familiar and headed toward it through the camp. Just outside behind a boulder he found Hank Kneeling and whispering. But he could only make out bits and pieces. "…Soon… Baby girl…attacking soon…"

"Hank?" The conduit jumped up and paled. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. Which would make sense in Nero's case. He hadn't seen Hank since he had kicked his ass; then again Nero was usually off with Victoria doing tasks for Cole. "What are you doing out here?"

"I-I was praying" He stated Nervously.

"Didn't take you as the religious type."

"I'm not really. I just like the closure of talking to my daughter. She died a while ago, so this is how I talk to her." Nero nodded and jerked his head toward camp. As he passed him, Nero glanced and saw he was tense and acting shady as hell. "Hey Nero?"

"Yeah?"

"The signal to attack is you bringing down that wall right?" Nero narrowed his eyes. Hank hadn't been at the meeting. Understanding dawned on him. Alright if that's how Glass wanted to play then he'd play dumb.

"Yeah, I blow the wall and the army attacks through the hole." Hank nodded and headed off into camp. Before he went to do his job, he had a call to make.

 **6:00 AM**

Nero teleported to his spot on the east side of the wall. He looked at the horizon and saw the sun starting to rise. The guards were trading shifts now so the chaos would be easier. He launched himself into the air and manifested a small ledge so he could stay. Nero looked down and saw he was exactly where he needed to be. Twenty-Five meters up the wall, dead center in the middle.

Nero took a deep breath and placed his palms on the concrete. He gathered up all the energy he could and then focused on his necklace, the added power allowed him to gather most of the energy stored in the wall. Nero looked around and saw everything was grey; this was what it looked like when he did this. But this time he couldn't be in the blast, the last time nearly killed him. So he kept a mental hold on it and launched backwards and extended his wings and glided a safe distance. As he landed he liberated the power he had gathered.

He knew doing this meant a devastating blast, but he didn't expect this. The wall exploded with so much pent up energy it vaporized the wall and rained down debris all over the city. At the point the wall met the ground was a crater twenty feet deep. He looked into the city through the chaos he'd wrought. The buildings closest to the wall had been obliterated, the others that were unfortunate enough to be within fifty meters were damaged and falling apart. As he looked deeper he saw the city in panic mode. Within minutes the patrols were at the massive hole he had created. He smirked and held his hands up in surrender s the Chunt's made their way forward. They kept their guns trained on him. As they reached him he grinned and held his wrists up to be cuffed. The head guard raised his rifle to Nero's head and was about to pull the trigger when a command came through his radio. "Do not shoot him. Apprehend him and take him to headquarters for questioning." The guard sighed and slammed the butt of his rifle against Nero's head.

AN: please leave a review


	17. Chapter 17

When he woke, his wrists were chained to a table. He looked around the room he was in. Ten by ten and completely bathed in artificial light. No shadows he could use, and it was painfully bright. As he was getting used to the uncomfortable nature of the room, the door opened up. He looked up and saw Allison Glass walk in. Wait no it couldn't be her. The women in front of him looked like her, but Glass had black hair. This imposter had dyed her hair, he could tell by the blonde roots. Also her eyes were blue, not silver. The scarf was still there though.

"Good afternoon Nero. It is Nero right? Nero Aburdene?"

He froze. How did she know his name? Even Victoria and Cole didn't know his last name. "How do you know that name?" he asked through clenched teeth. She laughed, and he cringed, Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard.

"I'll be asking the questions here Mr. Aburdene. Now where is your army? Our source tells us the legions was supposed to attack the minute you blew the wall." She said sounding irritated and a little scared.

"Your source is a dumb ass hillbilly. I mean you couldn't have gotten someone smarter than Hank to betray us? Also why should I tell you anything? You're not Glass." Now it was her turn to look surprised. She let out a sigh and let down her scarf. She looked normal enough.

"You're right. I'm not Allison. I'm her fraternal twin McKenna." He raised an eyebrow to this, "Also how'd you know it was Hank?"

"He's a thief, not a liar. Though I'm curious how you got him to betray us."

"Very true, he is not a good liar. As for how, well I'll keep that to myself. Now back to the subject at hand, where's your army?"

Now was his time to fuck with them. "Canada. We decided not to attack Vegas. Y'all can die of the plague for all we care."

She frowned "That's not true. We would've noticed more movement on the satellite." He was laughing his ass off at her confusion.

"That's the wonders of having a Conduit that's basically Schrodinger's cat." She was fuming.

"Then why go through all the trouble of blowing up a portion of the wall? Why go through the effort it took?"

"Distraction"

"Surely there must've been some other Conduit who could've taken the wall down but you? I mean you're the Demon's shadow." She exclaimed

"I volunteered. It was my final Fuck you for broadcasting that little porno you took of me and Vi" He said with Venom in his voice.

"You seriously blew up a wall for revenge?"

"Yes." He couldn't believe she was buying it. "So tell me. Why allow Conduits into the Government?"

She stiffened. "We didn't like the idea of Cole Mcgrath killing everyone like that. So we made a new path."

"Well isn't that sweet." Nero looked at his wrist and saw his watch was still there. Slowly he looked at it. 4:30 PM. He suppressed a smile. He just had to last another thirty minutes then he could give the signal. His grin faded when she put his scythe on the table.

"Where'd you get this?" She asked.

"We have some amazing Conduits." He stated mater-of-factly.

"Why use this when I've seen how you can make them out of shadows?"

"Reasons."

She sighed, obviously frustrated by his responses. She unfolded it and held the blade at his throat. "Tell me everything you know. Or I will…"

"You'll what? Bore me to death with your piss poor attempt at interrogating me?" He snarled.

"No. I'm going to find your sister and your girlfriend and let brick have his fun. You know he was convicted of rape on several occasions?" Nero had to bite his tongue. If he lashed out she would win.

"Struck a nerve now did I?" She laughed, "Oh and to answer your question about your name, we ran your fingerprints. You have quite the record. Assault, public intoxication and indecency, oh and what's this? You put your old man in the hospital. Care to explain?" He clenched his fists and grinded his teeth. He hated remembering that night. He could still feel his old man's bones splintering beneath his fist. He could hear his mother calling the cops while simultaneously hiding their Heroin stash. He could still see his hands covered in his father's blood. He heard his mother begging him to stop, and he didn't even protest when the cops dragged him off. He sat there fuming for a few minutes and decided to give her the story she wanted.

"Eddie Aburdene was a bastard who beat his children. He was a drunken buffoon who couldn't hold down a job. My mother couldn't do shit other than run a cash register and even then most of the money she made went to feed their addiction. So my brother and I took care of our sister. He sold drugs to keep us fed and clothed. I had to keep her away from what he was doing, and I did what I had to. The night you're talking about, Eddie lost his shit again. He started to beat Jess since she was the smallest. My brother Adrian was too stoned to help so I stepped in."

"That doesn't give you a reason for killing innocent people. But you can change, you can fight with us and I promise you on the behalf of Glass and the BCI that you Victoria and Jess will be pardoned. Just help us Kill Cole Mcgrath." She practically begged, "You are the most powerful Conduit we've seen. We need you."

Nero looked at his watch, 4:50 PM. Ten more minutes; he had to stall her for just ten more minutes. "Say I believe you? What then?"

"You'll be pardoned and you can grab your sister and lover. You'll have to work for us but as soon as you kill the Demon you'll be free."

He pretended to consider it. Really it was a ridiculous proposal. If he was to kill the Demon, it was going to be on his own terms. Also they would either kill him or lock him up after he'd done their bidding.

"And how do I know you'll honor your word" He asked.

She smirked "you don't" He sighed. This only ended one way. He glanced at his watch again; it was 5:00PM, time for his signal. He crossed his hands and pressed the button on its side. He smiled; all hell was about to break loose.

Alarms started going off throughout the compound. He'd assumed the Conduits he'd led into the city were out there having a field day. McKenna whirled around and glared at him. "What did you do?" He looked at her innocently.

"Why what ever do you mean? I couldn't have done anything sitting here with you." He said while grinning like a Cheshire cat.

She glared at him "Last chance for the offer Nero." All of a sudden, the lights around the compound went out. Nero looked into the shadows around the compound, and saw a man crash through the window like a ragdoll. It was obvious he was thrown, but what he was confused about was why was he glowing. Then he understood as the man exploded in a violent flash of light that killed ten other soldiers who were unfortunate enough to be near him. Victoria must have transformed a poor soldier into light and made it so he would explode then had some Conduit throw him through the window. He grinned as he heard more gunshots.

"I think that suffices as my answer." He said as he broke from his cuffs and dashed around her and took his scythe from her. With it back in his grasp, before she could run, he used the staff to sweep her feet out from under her. As she landed, the wind was knocked from her and started to crawl toward the door. He grabbed her by her hair and yanked back. With her neck exposed he placed his scythe along her neck. "Now you're going to give a message to your sister."

"What would that be?" she said through clenched teeth.

Her glare was soon replaced by anguish and shock as he slit her throat. He savored the sound of her trying to grasp for air. He yanked he hair back harder sending more blood pouring out of the wound and growled, "Don't fuck with me, and do not threaten my loved ones. Then again you won't have to tell her that. She'll figure it out soon enough." He left her in that room choking and bleeding, alone.


	18. Chapter 18

He walked out of the room and extended his consciousness into the shadows surrounding the compound. Heavy military presence obviously, but instead of rushing to fight the Conduits running amok, they were fortifying the compound. _So much for protecting people_ Nero thought. He made his way to the darkest corridor he could find. If this plan of his were to work, he had to take over the compound and hope the rest of the team he'd brought in could take over their targets of the city. Nero just hoped the sudden change in plans weren't too detrimental to the mission.

 _He walked away from Hank and called Cole. "Cole, we have a problem" he stated seriously "Hank's in Glass' pocket."_

 _"You sure?" Cole sounding pissed._

 _"Yeah, but I think we need to make a few changes to the plan."_

 _"Such as?"_

 _Nero sucked in a deep breath "We need Jess to get everyone who's not attacking to a new location. I told Hank the old version of the plan so that's what they'll expect. He doesn't know about them being in the city already. What he does know is that the plan is to attack when I bring down the wall. So I propose I let myself get caught and be taken to Glass. Then I kill her and give the signal to attack"_

 _"Okay that plan is ten different kinds of crazy. First of all how do you know Hank is going to betray us? Then what signal are you going to give? And are you sure they'll take you to Glass instead of killing you?"_

 _"Cause I'm the Demon's shadow, Cole. As for Hank, I saw him on a radio talking about the attack. I know this is risky but we need to do this."_

 _Cole sighed, "Alright what's the signal?"_

 _"My watch is hooked up like a radio to Victoria's. I press a button and she spreads the word."_

 _"I don't like this"_

 _"We don't have a choice now do we?"_

Nero took a deep breath and reached out with his palms facing up and fingers curling toward the ceiling. Before he summoned his imposters, he looked at the blood covering his hands. The blood of McKenna Glass (he didn't feel bad about killing her though. He just hated having to wash blood off). He brought his hands up in a violent jerk and watched the shadows take vaguely humanoid forms. He fell to one knee, summoning this many Imposters had taken a lot of energy from him. He usually summoned three or four at a time, but this time he summoned fifty. He held his hand out and brought the shadows into him so he could regain some energy. Nero looked out at the sea of monsters he had created, "Slaughter everyone in this compound. Search and destroy, let no one escape." He growled. They instantly went to obey, disappearing into the walls and floors.

A few minutes later the first scream was heard, then another and another. Soon it was a cacophony of screams and gunshots and sounds of armor being torn. He smiled at the beautiful orchestra; he reveled in the sounds of bones breaking, of skin being torn and armor being shredded. Laughing he started to where the solider had been thrown through the window. He looked out through the shattered window and gazed into the chaos he'd wrought upon the city. Blocks were on fire and the nearest Military compound was nothing but rubble. Nero looked to the sky and saw Aaron had summoned an immensely violent storm.

He leapt from the window and landed five stories down. He brought up his radio and contacted Victoria. "Hey baby thanks for the distraction"

"Thought you _'_ d like that" she said laughing.

"Cole in the city yet?"

"Yeah he's the one who knocked out the power. It's a miracle he's even here due to-Hey what the Fu-" She suddenly cut out and Nero heard sounds of a struggle.

"VI!" he shouted. Nothing. Radio silence. Growling he took off in the direction of her target.

"NERO!" He turned around and saw Cole. "Where's Jess?" Cole asked as he caught up. Nero shook his head.

"I don't know, I thought she was with you?"

"She said she was going to find you." Nero Cursed.

"Jess and Vi are missing. Cole you need to end this now." He said gripping the older man's shirt in his fist. He shook him off but nodded nonetheless. Cole held his hands out and Nero closed his eyes as the blast took place. It was over in an instant but he could still hear the cries of the innocent. When it was over, the city was quiet.

Nero helped Cole up from his knees, and noticed the skin on his neck was looking like molten rock. Must be a side effect of his powers. Cole struggled to get to his feet, he looked exhausted and his breathing was ragged. He waved his hand, "Go find Victoria and Jess." Just then Nero's standard issue phone went off. Only certain member had them, and Eugene had made sure no one could track them. He looked at the caller ID. It was Victoria.

He answered it, "VI? Where are yo-" He was cut off by a mans laugh. The sound set his teeth on edge. It sounded like a stone being rubbed against another.

"Vi's not here but I'd be happy to take a message."

"Where is she?" Nero Shouted in to the phone "Tell me now or so help me-"

"Look up." He stopped and did what was told. On the rooftop above them stood three figures. In the middle, a tall man who was built like a tank. His skin looked like stone and under both arms he carried two unmoving figures. He caught sight of snow-white hair and Strawberry blonde hair. This Bastard had Vi and Jess; he looked back at the man and was struck with understanding. "Brick" he spat.

"Oh you're good. I thought I'd have to introduce you two," Said a woman's voice. He looked to Bricks right and saw her. The queen bitch herself, Allison Glass.

"Glass."

She laughed, "Right again. But can you guess what's behind door number three?" Nero stiffened as he saw who stepped stepped from behind Brick along With Hank. Looking ashamed of himself and fidgeting ever so slightly. Nero growled, it was an inhuman sound starting in his diaphragm, looking up at the person he thought he could trust. He looked at the man, dressed in a nice shirt and vest, suit jacket, blue jeans, and black cowboy boots. His blonde hair still couldn't make its mind up.

"John?"


	19. Chapter 19

"John?" Nero Growled. "What. The. Fuck. Did. You. Do?"

He shook his head "I'm sorry Nero. I'm so sorry, I wish I cou-" He was cut off when Nero thrust his hands upward, creating a pillar of darkness around John, trapping him. Nero teleported through his shadow but by the time he'd gotten up there, Brick was sprinting away. For a conduit whose power was concrete, he could sprint like the devil was on his tail. Though it was pretty close. Nero looked up and saw Hank dashing away, he teleported through the shadows so he was behind him. Nero shot spikes of darkness at him when he was back in his human form. Two hit him in his left leg and one his him in his lower spine. The forth hit his right shoulder. Hank hit the ground hard. Nero looked at him with contempt in eyes. He curled his fist and brought shadows around him so he was trapped. Not that he was going anywhere; he'd severed his spinal chord. He wouldn't be walking anytime soon.

Nero turned his attention to where brick was. He was waiting on a rooftop, Jess and Vi behind him, with his arms crossed. Nero teleported to the side of a building and ran along its length, planning to drop on him with his scythe. As he was running along, getting close to his objective, the glass in front of him erupted. Materializing from the shards was Allison. He was starting to shoot her with a spike when he saw what she was holding. It looked like a miniature crossbow. He had hesitated too long looking at her weapon. She pulled the trigger and sent a dart into his chest. Pain spread over his body like a fire. He looked down at the dart and saw black liquid was flowing into him.

Nero didn't realize he was falling until he landed on his back. The air rushed from his lungs and he saw starts. He knew he had more than likely broken a few ribs and a few other bones. He didn't care. He got up, feeling nauseous. The world was going in and out of focus and so was his opponent. Nero shook his head and started toward Brick. He did the same, as they drew near Nero unfolded his Scythe. The same Scythe John had made, he shook his head, he would deal with him later. He started to swing, but then something changed. Brick was no longer Brick. What he saw made him freeze.

The man standing in front of him was dead. He should be dead, but here he was. Nero's favorite drug addicted redneck. "Dad?" the man smiled and brought his fist back and sent it into Nero's face. He flew back and landed hard, he struggled to his feet, and ignoring the blood gushing from his nose along with the knowledge his check bones were broken. He looked back at the man; he was an exact copy of him. Same emaciated form, and greasy and wiry brown hair. He had the same stained wife beater with an old flannel and old jeans. How the hell was he here?

Nero shook his head and saw the world slip out of focus and he saw Brick again. Then it shifted out and he saw his dad. Nero couldn't make sense of it. His thoughts were interrupted when a boot met his ribcage. The air left his lungs once again as he felt more bones snap. He went flying again, this time he got up and swung his scythe only for it to be ripped from his grasp and punched in the jaw. He felt his jaw snap under the blow and he again went flying. This time he didn't get up, the world swam out of view again and when he opened his eyes, he was home.

But he knew what night this was; it was the night that haunted his dreams. He could feel his body being kicked and abused, but he couldn't find a way back. Hell he couldn't move. Then the nightmare started, he saw Eddie start to beat little Jess, and he could feel himself moving to stop it. He felt every blow he put upon his father. But then the nightmare kept going. It didn't stop where the memory ended, no it went further. He kept beating his old man until there was nothing left but a bloody mess. He then felt a tap on his shoulder and saw Eddie grinning at him.

Nero looked back at the bloody mess in his hands and saw it was Jess.

"No. No. No. No. This can't be happening," he said hysterically. "Jess. JESS. Please wake up." He kept trying until she disappeared. Then, he just felt hollow.

"You destroy everything you touch. Boy." His father had said behind him.

"You're not real Eddie. You died when I became a Conduit." He said, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.

"It doesn't make it any less true. Look what you did to Jess, she was a sweet innocent thing and you corrupted her. She's okay with killing; she's helped you kill. Little Jess has helped you and the Demon of Empire city kill thousands of people."

"Shut up"

"Hell even Victoria was better off before you waltzed into her life. She's merciless now"

"Enough"

"You destroy everything you touch." His father knelt down to him. "I wish you hadn't survived your suicide attempt all those years ago."

"I SAID ENOUGH!" Nero leapt to his feet and blasted the image of his father and smiled as he disappeared. He dropped to his knees and wept.

"And here I thought you had become a man Ne." He looked up and saw Adrian. His older brother was the same as always. Wearing his usual outfit, black jeans, white shirt and a red hoodie. His hair was trimmed short unlike Nero's and he had a goatee, whereas Nero was clean-shaven. He grinned. "It's time to get up Nero. Fuck Eddie and fuck Marlene. You did the best you could for Jess while I was out. Stop tormenting yourself, Eddie deserved what you did and more. Now get up and fight. Fight for Victoria and fight for Jess. What's that motto you stole from Slipknot? You cannot kill what you did not create. Last I checked Brick and Glass didn't create you. Now get up and kill that son of a bitch." He started walking away into the never-ending blackness behind him.

"Adrian ho-?"

"Sometimes you need a swift kick in the ass. I may not be real, but it's what you needed to hear. Now quit stalling and rescue your girls."

He remembered what was really happening. A scream of rage tore through his throat and he finally woke up. He saw brick grinning. He was holding Nero up by the front of his jacket. "Time to wake up Nero" he said with malice in his voice. Nero growled and tried to use his powers. He couldn't do anything. His body wasn't listening to him.

Brick lifted Nero's scythe and made a horizontal cut down his jaw on the right side. He stifled a scream, and gritted his teeth. Brick let Nero fall. He couldn't get up. With the beating Brick was giving him and whatever drug they'd injected him with, he couldn't move. Then pillars of concrete were lifting him up. His wrists were held in them and he was lifted up till he was on his feet.

Brick placed the scythe along Nero's ribcage and drug it. This time Nero couldn't suppress the scream that arose from within him. He felt the blade scraping against the bones and it took everything he had not to let out a scream. He looked Brick in the eyes as well as he could. His black hair was covering his face and clung to it. But he looked there, and suddenly he knew things he hadn't known before. As he looked into the mind of Brick, he saw his life, his failures, and fears, even his happiest memories. He also saw the worst night of his life. It was as if the drug they'd given him unlocked a new power of his. Brick brought back the blade and prepared to ram it into his chest. As he swung, Nero uttered a name. Brick froze. He grabbed Nero's chin and forced him to look up. "What did you say?" his voice was flat and very deadly.

He sputtered, "I said, Charlie." He chuckled at the grown man's response. He was shaking.

"How did you know that name?" Nero looked at him and grinned.

"He was your son wasn't he? Yeah he was three when you were first arrested, eight the second time. He would've been thirteen, had a victim of yours burnt your place to the ground. Isn't that right? Anthony Clarke."

Brick took a step back, "You're just like her. The other demon, you both like to fuck with people's heads." Nero laughed and broke from the pillars. He looked at brick and tore through his mind to find what he was looking for. He was making Brick live his worst memory over and over. Grinning like a madman he stepped closer and summoned a dagger, and stabbed at Brick. Still hallucinating Brick swung Nero's scythe and planted it in Nero's chest. His eyes bulged. He came out of the madness, breathing heavily. He pushed the blade further into Nero's chest, all the while pushing him toward the edge of the roof. "Well no more. I'm sending you to hell." He said as he kicked Nero off the rook. As he fell Nero reached his hand to Brick and shot a spike of darkness into his chest. Before he could launch any other attack, he hit the ground and the world went black.


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: So I'm trying something new with this chapter hence why it's going to be short. You'll figure out what it is as you read, but I would like to get feedback on this. Anything helps.**

 _"Prisoner 001" a voice said, "Why are you resisting treatment?" The prisoner shakes her head, this wasn't the help they'd promised. This was hell.. "Your sister is dead. It's time to move on. It's time to put it all behind you and help us. Help us help you." The voice says. She shakes her head again. Then screams as electricity runs through her body. The collar shuts off and she's left gasping for air. "You work for the BCI now. You are property."_

 _"NO" she screams. It's been the same thing for the past three weeks since she was captured. They wake her up and make her demonstrate her powers on people. Sometimes Conduits, other times humans. If she refuses, they shock her through the collar around her neck. If she complies they let her rest and give her food. She doesn't know why they're doing this; all they're doing is helping her hone her powers more. At this point it doesn't matter, the stronger she gets, the faster she can break out of here and find her sister. Though she doesn't know where here is. The cell she is kept in is always lit, and padded. The observation room isn't bright, there's enough light that they can see her, but not enough where she can use some of her more deadly powers. She hates it, but most of all hates what they do. They repeat it like a mantra. Her sister is dead and it's all the demons fault. They say they want to help her, and sometimes she believes it. She keeps thinking about the mission she and her sister went on, just reconnaissance. But it turned bad really quick._

 _The last thing she remembered before her capture was being overrun by Chunts. Next thing she knows her sister is on the ground reaching towards her. Her pristine white hair was covered in ash and blood. Then a violent flash of light and she was gone, it didn't look like she teleported. More like a suicide blast. The prisoner didn't want to believe her sister was dead, but the evidence was rock solid._

 _The woman on the intercom sighs. It's a heavy sound, laden with frustration. "Open the gate. Allow subject 012 into the area" She says to someone. The girl shakes her head she doesn't like what is going to happen. The gate at the end of the observation room opens up. A man stumbles in, dressed in a yellow jumpsuit. Another Conduit. "Prisoner 012, if you manage to kill prisoner 001 you will be set free." The mans face lights up. Of course it does, who wouldn't kill to get out of here? But he can't kill her. He barely knows how to use his powers, and she's had months of practice._

 _He hurls a fireball at her, which she easily avoids. She doesn't want to do this but they make her. She has to keep defying them until Victoria and Cole come to get her.' Victoria can't be dead, she can't be. Cole didn't send us to our deaths, knowingly. He wouldn't do that' she thinks. The man dashes over to her, taking her hesitation as a weakness. He throws a punch her way; she steps to the side and shoves a sword she'd manifested out of the void, into his chest. He twists out of the way, her blade only scraping him. He backs away, wary of this girl. He charges again, this time she gazes into his eyes. He meets her gaze and instantly regrets it. She knows meeting her gaze when she activates this power, is like looking into the abyss. She sees everything she needs to know, his fears, insecurities and worst memories._

 _She sighs and brings up his deepest fear and makes him relive the torment over and over. She never looks at what the fear is; she just knows what chemicals in the brain to mess with. Right now he's reliving his fear. He drops to the floor, tears streaming down his face. Prisoner 001 walks over to prisoner 012, and stabs him through the heart to give him a quick death. She lets a few tears fall for her sister. She has to face the fact. Victoria Lavernge is dead because Cole McGrath sent them to their deaths. It was a suicide mission and he knew it. Her sister died trying to protect her, and here she was, in the hands of the fucking BCI. She lets out a scream laden with grief and tears begin to fall. 'Damn him, damn him to Hell for letting us die.' She thinks._

 _A sound of clapping is heard. "Good job Alexandria, I'm impressed." She shudders. She hates the sound of the woman's voice. It sounds like a nail being dragged on a chalkboard._

 _"Alexandria is dead. She died when Victoria died." she says defeated._

 _The woman smiles behind the observation window. "You're learning. From now on you are no longer a prisoner, but a full agent of the BCI. Welcome to the team, Wraith."_

 _"Will I get to kill him?" Wraith asks._

 _"In due time, child. For now you need to rest up."_


	21. Chapter 21

_What the hell?_ Nero thought as he tried sitting up. He instantly regretted that decision. Everything hurt, _apparently I'm still alive_ he thought. Death couldn't possibly hurt this much. He lay there on his back looking up at the ceiling while his mind went a million and a half directions. Where was he? How was he still alive? Where were Jess and Vi? Did he actually learn a new power? Who was the other Demon Brick spoke of? What was that dream about? Was it actually a memory because it sure felt like one? Or was it some sort of weird drug and trauma induced vision? He had no idea.

Thankfully his boredom was soon gone when the door to the room opened up and Cole walked in with Kuo. This time he forced himself to sit up, while all his muscles complained. Kuo rushed over and helped him up. "Hey take it easy tiger. You almost died."

"Where's Victoria and Jess?" he asked, still groggy. He looked at Cole and saw pain and sadness there.

"Glass has them." Rage sped through Nero; it was so potent that shadows erupted from him coursing over his body. Within a few seconds he was on his feet completely healed. He looked at a broken mirror and saw he had new scars from his encounter with brick. There was a new, nasty scar along his ribs on his right side. A good chunk of meat had been taken out with that swipe. On his left hip there was a new scar and along his jaw on the right side. Dead center in the middle of his chest was a long vertical scar, where Brick had planted Nero's scythe. He sighed and grabbed his shirt and coat.

"Nero. We're going to find them." Kuo said as she stepped up to try and comfort him. Her hand jerked back as the shadows surrounding him erupted into spikes, almost acting like armor.

"Where's John and where's Hank?" He asked, his voice catatonic and calm. On the outside he looked neutral and fine, but he could snap someone's neck in this state without even blinking. Even Cole.

"Nero…" Cole warned. Nero spun around and gazed into his eyes. He tore into Cole's past and saw the events of Empire city. He saw the blast that had leveled six blocks, his best friends betrayal, and the love of his life plummeting towards her death. Nero saw all the chaos Kessler had wrought. What surprised him was Kessler's final message, Cole was supposed to kill the beast, but instead he went with John White to cure the plague. But for all the memories haunting Cole, the death of his best friend, Zeke, haunted him the most. He dug through the memory.

 _The RfI roles out of Nix's lifeless hand and Zeke picks it up. He holds it in one hand and brings his revolver up in his other hand. Cole looks at him sadly and states "Half as long."_

 _"Twice as bright." He says. Zeke sighs and meets Cole's gaze. "I gotta try."_

 _"I know." Cole says softly. Zeke fires one shot, hitting him in the shoulder. Cole hisses and brings hiss hand up and fires a bolt of lightning at him. Zeke falls back a bit, but raises his gun again. Cole fires another and this time he's on his knees. He tries again but Cole fires the final bolt and Zeke stays down._

When he came back out only a second had passed. "You should know how I feel Cole. You were in love at some point too remember?" Cole stiffened at his response. "What were you willing to do once you found out Kessler had Trish. What were you willing to do Once he killed her huh? What about Nix? What about Zeke? There was nothing you wouldn't do to reach your goal!"

"NERO!" Kuo shouts. "That's enough!" Though she's looking at Nero quizzically, wondering how he knew all of that.

"How did you know that?" Cole asks through clenched teeth.

"Glass injected me with something. Made me see my worst fears and my worst memories over. Kinda like a bad acid trip. Somehow I snapped out of it and managed to get inside Bricks head." Cole put his hand to his chin and thought hard. He looked haunted.

"The power you're describing is what Victoria's sister had. She could get inside peoples heads like you just did. What did she inject you with?"

"Don't know. Shot a dart at me and it was filled with black liquid." Cole thought about it some more.

"Well John did say they ran experiments on Alexandria. Maybe they managed to weaponize her powers without her physically having to be present." Nero nodded and told him about the vision he'd had.

"So you're telling me that she's alive? And probably brainwashed?"

"Probably." Nero confirmed.

"Son of a bitch."

"Now. Where is John and where is Hank?"

* * *

Nero looked at the pathetic mess that was John. Suit torn to shreds, hair still a mess and he looked like he hadn't slept in a week. He walked in and John turned white.

"What's the matter John? You look like you've seen a ghost." Nero states and he takes the chair opposite from him.

"I-It's just that, I thought Brick killed you."

"He almost did." Nero says, not hiding his contempt nor the new scar he wore on his jaw. "Now you're going to tell me why you betrayed us."

"It was always the plan Nero. I was always supposed to find you and gain your trust and then foil your plans. But they were supposed to talk you into joining them and saving the human race and coexisting. "

Nero lets out a bitter laugh. "We can't save the human race. The plague is killing everything and this is the only way." John stays quiet. "Now I'm going to ask you again, why did you betray us?" John closes his eyes and says nothing; Nero can still hear him whimpering. "Dammit John!" Nero shouted and lunged to him. He picked him up by the front of his shirt and tore through his memories.

 _"P-Please. Let him go." John pleads to the BCI agents. They're dragging away a young boy. 13 at the most, and he takes after John. He has the same hair and same restlessness. "Please I'll do anything!" he begs. "Just let my little brother go!"_

 _The sound of a woman laughing comes from behind him. Allison Glass is there in all her glory. In his mind he'd imagined her differently. Here in the real world, she barely reaches 5'4. She's wearing a black business suit and has a black scarf over the lower half of her face. Silver eyes dig deep into him. "Anything? Well that can be arranged."_

Nero stumbled back breathing heavily. "She has your little brother." He states as he looks back at him. He's even paler and tears are glistening in his eyes.

"Y-Y-You're just like her." He stammers. "The Wraith. You and her are the same."

"Alexandria." Nero states. John shakes his head.

"She doesn't go by that name anymore. Glass renamed her Wraith."

"I know!" Snapped Nero. "Glass shot me full of some weird drug. Gave me the Wraiths powers, though I suspect that wasn't her intentions. It made me relive my worst memory, and while that was happening Brick was beating the living hell out of me. So you're going to tell me where they have Jess and Vi, and I might consider letting you live."

John starts to sob. As his shoulders shake he looks to Nero through tears, "Thank you Nero!"

Being fed up Nero summons a dagger and holds it under his throat. "Where. Are. They." He says. John gulps.

"I don't know where they are." He starts, "But Hank does! I swear! He's the one who was in contact with them!" he adds quickly."

Nero sighs and stands up. "I should kill you." He says. "I should, but I won't. I'm going to let you live with the guilt. I haven't been a Conduit for long, but betrayal is something I know well. It's an old bitter friend, and I have always held traitors in the highest of contempt." John stares at him hopefully. Nero starts to leave, but turns around and looks at John. He journeys into his mind and finds his deepest and darkest fear and brings it to the surface. John gasps and starts to shake. "My parting gift to you John. Enjoy."

"No. No. NO. NO!" his screams start reaching a higher pitch with each scream. Nero laughs sadistically and journey's into the nightmare with him. John's reliving a memory of his parents kicking him out on the streets for being gay, then it goes to more awful memories replayed in full detail. He's reliving breakups, muggings, discrimination in job interviews, and worst of all, his love dying. Nero makes sure John spends extra time watching his boyfriend die. Such a terrible tragedy, he died jumping in front of a knife to protect John while being mugged.

After he's had his fill, Nero brings the nightmare to the surface of John's hell. In the nightmare John's little brother is killed in every way imaginable. He laughs and comes out of the screaming man's head. John's curled up on the floor and living in his own personal hell. Still laughing he leaves the room and shuts the door.

"Wasn't that a little harsh?" Cole asked from behind him. Nero shook his head.

"That was fully deserved Cole. He played a part in their capture." Nero stated without emotion. He kept moving to where they were keeping Hank.

"Fair enough but what did you learn?" Cole asked while motioning for Nero to stop. Nero let out a sigh of frustration. Jess and Victoria could be being tortured right now while he was basically twiddling his thumbs. He looked out the window of the hospital they'd made their base of operations for the time being. A better part of the city had been destroyed, but they needed to recover supplies and give the Conduits some rest. They'd just walked one hundred miles to get back. Jess had spent the afternoon before the attack getting the legion to a safe spot. Because Hank was an idiot and didn't bother to check in on whether or not the legion was still there had saved them from being captured.

Though the fucker still caught the two Conduits Nero really cared about. He looked back at Cole, "Glass has his brother and Hank is the one who was in contact with Glass. John's mission was to infiltrate and get me to turn on you."

Cole nodded. "Well it's a good thing you didn't."

"Why is that?"

"Cause I would've had to track you down and kill you." Cole states.

Nero chuckles and nods toward the infection on Cole's neck. The molten skin is creeping on his neck and his right arm is mostly covered. "With the state you're in, you wouldn't last against me."

"True but I'd put up one hell of a fight." Nero chuckled again and headed to the room where they were holding Hank. Cole followed. "What are you going to do Nero?"

"What do you think?" Nero says coldly as he reaches the room. He looks through the glass on the door and sees Hank tied to a chair; his head slumped onto his chest. The spikes are still in his leg and shoulder. Nero can't see his back but he knows the spike is still imbedded in his spine. He turns to Cole; "I'm going to need you to help me wake him up." Cole nods.

They enter the room, which used to be a storage room. Cole had it cleared out so they could put Hank in. Just a five by ten room and a chair, there was nothing special about it, but Nero couldn't help but feel a connection to it. This was where he would find out where Vi and Jess were. Nero took the spikes out of his leg, shoulder and spine while healing each wound. He wanted Hank to feel everything he was about to do.

"Nero, talk to the Conduit a few doors down. His name is Ryan. He can put people into a deep sleep; tell him he can pull Hank out of his coma. Nero did just that and came back to the room. Hank was just starting to come out of it, his eyelids were fluttering and he was groaning, though he still wasn't fully awake. Cole motioned to him and gave him two metal spikes with copper wire spun around it. Cole was holding the end of the wires. "Shove these into his legs and I'll shock him." He grinned and took the cold spikes, one in each hand and walked over to Hank and knelt in front of him.

Nero slapped him a few times to wake Hank up a bit. "Hank."

"Whaaa?" He said groggily. Nero grinned and slammed the spikes, imbued with dark energy, into his legs. Hanks eyes shot wide open and let out a scream.

"It's time to wake up you piece of shit." He says over his screams of pain. "Now keep your screaming to a minimum while we ask you some questions."

"Go fuck yourself." He says through gritted teeth. Cole sends electricity through the copper wire and Hank screams again.

"Wrong choice of words. Now where did Glass take Victoria and Jessica?" Nero says getting closer to him. Hank starts to laugh like a mad man.

"What's so funny?" Nero growls

"The fact you think they're alive. Hell Brick must've had his way with them a few times already. They'll be dead soon if not already." He laughs at the look on Nero's face, "Y'know I've often wondered what it would feel like, having lil victoria under me squirming, Moaning my-" He was cut off by Nero punching him so hard his cheek bone shattered and he fell off the chair. Nero kicks him while he's down, all he sees is red and he wants his bloodlust sated. He kicks him tile most of his ribs are broken, it doesn't matter, Hank can heal himself fast enough. He props him up on the chair, while Cole electrocutes him again.

Nero leans down so he's face to face with him. "WHERE ARE THEY?" he shouts. Hank still manages to grin even when Nero presses a dagger to his throat.

"What are you gonna do? Kill me?" Hank taunts, he knows he's desperate to find the. Hank can see it in Nero's stature; he's barely holding it together. Nero puts the dagger away. Instead he tears through his mind. Though he can't find what he's looking for he finds something that can be used.  
"No. I'm going to visit your daughter in that cabin in Washington." Hank blanches at that.

"You're just like her." He says incredulously.

Nero nods. "Just like the Wraith. Tell me where she's keeping Jess and Vi. I can already see why you betrayed us. They have your daughter."

Hank nods, "Then you know I can't tell you that." Nero nods and decides to force his way through Hanks mind. He sees Hanks daughter as the Chunt's take her away and he sees him begging with Glass. _Deeper_ he thinks. Nero digs further, it isn't easy though. He's had practice keeping people out, but Nero forced himself through his defenses.

 _Hank leads Glass through the deserted camp the legion had set up. He looks around confused. Everyone was here when Nero left. But all the tents and fire pits are deserted. There's no Conduit in sight. He starts to sweat, he fucked up this time._

 _"Where are they Hank? I thought only thirty Conduits were attacking. The whole camp is gone." Glass says irritated. "Should I kill your daughter after all?"_

 _Hank spins around and desperately pleads for her not to. Suddenly Jess flickers back into the camps and sees the Chunts. Her eyes go wide and before she can teleport out, Hank dashes over to her and shoots a ball of sulfur at her face making her pass out. It was a desperate move on his part, but he had to keep his daughter alive. Nero was going to be pissed._

 _"You've made up for your blunder, Hank. If it happens again, your daughter will lose an arm. Understood?" he nods. She turns to the squad, "Keep her sedated and take her to lab 32."_

"You son of a bitch!" Nero snarls. "You're the one who took Jess!"

Hank nods, his wounds are healing and Nero doesn't like how his face looks without them. He places a hand on his head and sends out waves of energy that stop his healing. Hank grimaces. "Where is lab 32?" he asks. Hank shakes his head. Cole electrocutes him again and this time instead of a scream, he lets out a whimper. Nero curses and makes him hallucinate. Even Nero shudders at what he's making Hank see. After a few minutes he eases up and lets him come back to reality. He's sweating and tears are flowing freely.

"You're a sick bastard Nero." Hank says while panting.

"I know." He says, "But it's nothing you wouldn't do to find your daughter if our roles were switched."

Hank lets more tears fall and whispers something. "What?" Nero asks. His voice was barely audible.

"Oregon. Lab 32 is in Oregon, in the forest. She's got all sorts of Conduits. There's more than one Conduit that can control concrete or steel. It's a fortress Nero, you won't be able to get to her." Hank says defeated.

"We'll see about that." Nero says and punches him again, making him pass out.

Cole and Nero walked out of the room. "What do you want to do with him?" Nero asks.

"Make an example out of him for sure, but how do we do that?" Cole asks.

"I have an idea."


	22. Chapter 22

Glass was sitting in her office at her headquarters, looking over the results of all the experiments she was running. The office, as with everything else, was made of concrete the exception being the Maplewood desk and her chair. The phone on her desk rang, sighing in frustration she answered, "Glass. Speak."

"General Glass, the Legion just uploaded a video for the world to see. You need to see this."

She walks down to tech and sees all the higher ups in the BCI and even the last remnants of the U.S government. "What is it?" She asks cautiously. She may run the experiments and have a certain amount of power, but they could still take that power away and lock her up in her own facility.

"The Legion just launched this video." The head researcher said. "They sent it to every phone, computer and TV that was still operational. They even managed to hack into our system and loop the video. We stopped them before they could snoop but they left the video."

"Play it."

A black screen cuts to street view in Las Vegas. Hank is held to a concrete slab that is upright. His arms are spread to either side, held by Steel cuffs. He was battered, bleeding and barely conscious. Then it pans to Cole.

"My name is Cole McGrath. You may know me as The Demon of Empire City. This video stands as a message to those that are trying to stop us by getting Conduits to betray us. Nice try but it won't work again. What we're doing today will serve as a deterrence. Here we have two traitors that almost got us killed, Hank and John. They're responsible for the capture of two Conduits and three deaths." He looks at the two Conduits, both shirtless and held in similar positions, "Let this stand as a warning." His voice cold and full of contempt.

He nods to someone off camera and a man dressed in a long black coat with a red insignia on the back. It was a skull with two crossed scythes. "Nero." Glass says with an ever-burning hatred. She hadn't known he'd killed McKenna until she'd made it back to Headquarters. She was still grieving for her sister.

He steps up to hank, a dagger that was pulsing with darkness in his hand, and makes a horizontal slash following Hanks right arm. Next he goes to John, who looked dazed and drugged unlike Hank. Hanks was wide-awake and in serious pain. John was barely coherent and didn't make a sound as Nero inflicted the same wound. Glass stifled a gasp; she'd seen that kind of behavior in people after Wraith was done interrogating them using her powers. When did Nero come across that power?

She shakes her head and looks back to the screen, Nero had handed the dagger to someone else. She had a green army jacket with painted designs on it and pink hair. She makes a slash on Hank and Johns' chests. Next she hands the same dagger, still pulsing, to a nerdy kid. Without hesitation he makes another slash the growing collection. The dagger transfers from Conduit to Conduit. It goes on for thirty minutes. At this rate they were going to take all night. Hank had a healing factor, but John looked ready to kick the bucket. She looked closer at hank and saw his wounds weren't healing.

"What the hell?" she says stepping closer. She gasps in surprise when she figures it out. She turns to the rest of the people in the room, "Do you see this? His wounds aren't healing." Most of the people not in the BCI cocked their heads.

One spoke up. "And?"

She keeps her face neutral. "Hank has a healing ability. Those wounds should be healed by now but they've stayed open." She looks back at the screen. Understanding dawns on her. "It's the dagger!" she exclaims, "Somehow Nero can suppress his healing ability. See how it's pulsing with darkness?"

The crowd murmurs anxiously. She sighs and turns back to the screen. Another fifteen minutes go by and Hank is a bleeding mess. Cole and Nero step again, and Nod to each other. Cole raises his hands in the air and brings down a massive lightning bolt on Hank. While Nero thrusts his hands forward and sends a shadow wolf at John. The strike surges through hanks body leaving behind a scorched corpse barely recognizable as the Conduit known as Hank. The wolf Nero launched at John sunk its teeth into the junction where his throat met his shoulder, tearing it apart, leaving him a bloody mess. Both attacks hit at the same time, leaving both Conduits dead. Nero steps away and comes to the camera. He looks like he's aged a few years. He has dark bags under his pale ice blue eyes. His long obsidian hair now reaches his shoulders and is a mess. He's sporting a new facial scar along his jaw, and he's pale. Paler than their first footage of him, so much so he looked like a real demon to her. He has shadows swirling around him like smoke making him more insidious.

"Glass." He says, his voice dripping with anger, bloodlust, and venom. "I'm coming for you, and when I find you. I'm going to kill you. Just like I killed your sister." He says all the while glaring at the camera, as if he was staring at her directly. He said it as a promise, not as a threat. That's what worried her.

The video ended, leaving her speechless. _How dare he threaten her like that. How dare he bring up McKenna._ She thinks, as Glass turns around, keeping her face emotionless. "Double the perimeter guards. I have no doubt Hank talked and revealed something. Lock down everything!" She commands.

Her people are starting to spread the word when a man in his mid fifties stands, "Do not comply." He states. Glass whirls around and glares at him. He was a former governor in Wyoming, but relocated here. He had the ears of the "president"; he was his second in command. "General Glass, we are vacating the premise immediately."

"And leave all this research behind?" She states, her voice getting louder and less in control.

"We're destroying it." He says with a slight smirk, but under his bravado she can tell he's scared shitless about this predicament. He hated Conduits, but the President wanted Glass to research them so he could create his own army, and become one. Such a coward.

"Under whose orders?" she asks, her confidence growing.

"Mine, of course. I have the authority to terminate your program anytime I want." He states nervously.

"No you don't."

"Excuse me? I'm the second in Command of the New United states of America. You have to obey my orders!" He shouts, but to no avail, no one is listening to him anymore. He realizes he is no longer in control.

"If the President wants to have powers and control of his own army, then I suggest you stop ordering me around." Glass says her voice is cold but with a hint of amusement. She smiles under her scarf.

"Filthy fucking abomination!" he shouts and pulls out a pistol and point it at her.

"You must be joking." She says while laughing.

"This is no joke. Heed my orders or I will kill you." He stammers, confused as to why she's doubled over laughing.

"You know I get it now. How Nero feels, well just a little but anyways." Before he can say a word, a shard of glass has pierced his throat. His eyes grow wide and he chokes and falls to his knees. Glass strides up to him. "No one orders me around in such a fashion." She says while still laughing. Glass kicks his body over and looks to his assistant, "You. You are now the second in command. Tell President Vey what happened here. He won't mind." She nods toward the body, "He hated him anyways." The young assistant nods hurriedly and rushes out of the room to deliver the news to the president.

Glass looks back to the screen, at the frozen picture of Nero. Such a shame, if he wasn't so hell bent on destruction she'd even say he was cute. Hell he and Wraith would've made an excellent team. Glass turns to the head researcher, Jamison.

"Start testing Lavernge and Aburdene. Let's see if we can replicate their powers and give them to some Conduit Hunters"

He salutes, "Yes ma'am." She smiles and yet again looks back at the screen. _Well Nero, let's see how far you'll go to rescue your little sister and your lover._


	23. Chapter 23

**Later that night.**

Nero shoves the last can of food into his bag. He's leaving in the morning for Oregon, and he's not coming back without Vi and Jess. He sighs and looks around the room he's occupying for the night. It's a run down apartment and the walls are cracked and stained with water damage and god knows what else. His mind wonders to what's happening to her right now. Experimentation? Torture? He shook his head trying to clear the images from his mind.

Instead he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a photo strip. It's him and Victoria, on their last carefree day they had together.

 _As they walk the streets of Albuquerque, his hand in hers, Nero smiles happily and content. A few days prior Victoria had already done the reconnaissance, so this time they could have a carefree day. No crusade, no Chunt's, and no powers, just him and her. Victoria notices his smile and returns it fully. "What are you thinking about Ne?" she asks, saying the nickname his bother usually said. It's funny, coming from her he liked how it sounded._

 _Still smiling, "I'm just happy. It's nice to have a day to ourselves." She nods in agreement. They walk for a few more minutes in comfortable silence, suddenly she stops and points excitedly towards a photo booth._

 _"Come on Ne!" She exclaims. He sighs and lets her pull him unceremoniously into the booth. He hates taking pictures but it's for her, so he deals. "Sit." She commands and he obliges. She sits on his lap and loops her arms around his neck and smiles for the picture. The next picture she places her forehead against his and whispers "I love you."_

 _"I love you too." He whispers back. Then she's pressing her lips to his, he pushes back and she melts into his arms. He loves the way the meld together like this. Like two broken puzzle pieces, he sighs into the kiss. He's never felt love like this, the minute he bares his soul to anyone they run. Not her, no she stayed._

 _Victoria feels him sigh and relax. Finally he's let his guard down, usually when she kisses him like this or shows any type of affection, he keeps some sort of guard up. She knows he's been abused and cheated on, so she never tries to push his boundaries. Like him, she'd had a few difficulties as well. Her parents didn't abuse her, but they were never around. She'd sought solace in the arms of a boy she thought loved her. But as soon as she'd given him what he wanted, he left. Just like everyone else. But Nero, he was different. She could feel his love emanating through their contact._

 _They finally have to come up for air, and she places her hands on his face as he glances away. "Nero. Look at me." He lifts his head. In his eyes she can see how vulnerable he feels, and how scary it is to let her in. "I promise, I will never hurt you."_

 _He kisses her softly and replies, "I promise I won't leave you. I'll stay by you always."_

 _Now it was her turn to feel vulnerable. "Always?" She asks._

 _His pale blue eyes meet hers, "Remember my promise back in Denver? I would rip the universe in two just to be by your side. Nothing will keep me away from you."_

 _Victoria feels tears wetting her cheeks, but before she can do anything, Nero wipes them away and kisses her. She takes a shaky breath, "I'll hold you to it."_

That day is haunting him now. He can taste her lips and he can still hear those words she whispered into his ear. He remembers her laugh as though she was right next to him. He can still feel her fingers tracing the tattoo on his back. The promise he made her is burned into his mind, it torments him and finally he can't stand it anymore. He drops to his knees and screams as he punches the floor so hard his hand breaks through the hardwood floor along with breaking his hand. He lifts his arm up again and again to punch the floor, leaving an ever-growing hole and his screams dying out into panting breaths. Nero looks at his bloody knuckles and watches as the damaged tissue reknits itself. Within seconds it was like there was nothing there. Then, his focus shifts, to the necklaces he's wearing. His skull and her Sun. Nero lifts the pendant to his lips and closes his eyes and lets the tears flow.

He hears the door open, but he doesn't get up. He knows its Cole by the sound of his thoughts. With his new power he could tell who was around him by the sound they put off. Cole's sound was like a flytrap, quietly buzzing with electricity. He still doesn't move as Cole places a hand on his shoulder. "You know I've been where you are." He states. Nero nods, he saw Trish fall.

"I promised her Cole. I promised her I wouldn't leave her alone." Nero whispers, his voice laden with grief and tears still falling.

"You didn't leave her. She was taken Nero." It still doesn't help.

"I WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HER!" He shouts as he jumps to his feet. "I PROMISED HER I WOULD RIP THE UNIVERSE IN TWO FOR HER. BUT I FUCKING FAILED!"

"You didn't fail. You were drugged, there's a difference. Now, tell me, are you going to sit here and wallow in your sorrow, or are you going to prove your promise to her and rip the country apart to find her?" Cole states, his voice full of passion.

Nero calms a bit, "I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Oh I know. That's why I went scavenging and got you this." He digs in his pocket and tosses him a pair of keys. Nero looks at him sideways.

"It's a 2014 Hayabusa 50th anniversary addition. Complete with a 1340 in-line fuel injected, four-cylinder, liquid cooled engine with sixteen valves and Twin Swirl Combustion chambers. Top speed one hundred and ninety four miles per hour."

"Holy shit." Nero says as his jaw drops.

"Yeah you'll find her in no time. Get some sleep you're leaving tomorrow night."

"Why tomorrow night?" Nero asks, slightly irritated he's being told to wait.

"Call it a hunch but I'm betting you can imbue it with dark energy like you did that dagger and make it go faster. You won't be able to do that during the day." Cole states matter-of-factly.


	24. Chapter 24

Nero stood up from his prone position and arched his back, and pops just about every vertebra in his spine. He sets his eyes on the fortress he's been studying for the last six hours. Five stories tall, and literally built like a prison, with a tower right in the center. Hank was right, nothing but solid concrete and twelve inch thick bulletproof glass. He turns his head to the right and cracks his neck.

It had taken a day to get to Oregon, and a week to find the location of Lab 32. Twelve dead conduit hunters later, he had finally tortured the information out of the right Chunt. Nestled deep in the forest near Portland. It had taken another two days to find the lab. He was cold, wet, and exhausted. Nero had kept himself cloaked in shadows, so he could stay invisible to the naked eye. Unfortunately, Nero couldn't get too close because of the sensors all around the perimeter. The only area they didn't have sensors, as far as he could tell, were above the second floor. So obviously he would have to aim for the third floor.

Nero took a deep breath and launched himself up on a pillar of shadows and glided towards an outfacing window. He couldn't break through the glass; it was one foot thick and Conduit made. Instead he made himself intangible; another trick he inherited from the wraith, and passed through it like air. Once inside he looked down the narrow, pristine white hall and passed into the wall, where he would not be seen.

Crouching down within the concrete walls, he went over the details of the Lab. Nero new that Victoria and Jess were being held in the testing wing, below ground. Steeling himself he sunk through the wall and down for four levels to the wing. There he stepped out. Looking down the hall, he found some differences. Here the hallway was bigger, allowing for more traffic and gurneys, and it was just straight concrete. The biggest difference was how little light there was here. _Probably for the wraith_ he thought. He slipped down the hallways and took the turns he had pulled from the Conduit Hunter's head.

Nero found himself standing in front of an iron door, the label read 024-LAVERNGE. His heart thumped and leapt into his throat. Spreading his hand on the iron door, waves of dark energy crashed against the cold iron. Focusing on the lock, he forces the door open. Stepping into the pitch-black room, his nose is assaulted with the sent of blood and tears. Looking around he spots a figure curled up in the corner of the small padded cell. Victoria's back is to him and his heart shatters even more. Her back is torn to shreds, almost as if she were whipped. Six long slashes are crisscrossed across her back, and those are the fresh ones. She has healed scars, similar to the fresh ones, completely destroying her angel wings. He counts ten total wounds, six of which were still fresh. Nero walks over to her and gently shakes her awake.

"Victoria?" he says with tears building up. While sending waves of energy into her, sealing her wounds and relieving her of pain, he brushes her hair from her face and is greeted with the sight of a scar on her cheek. An angry, red wound mars her angelic face. It curves from below her left eye to the end of her jaw and extends above her eye and up into her hairline. Below her right eye, is a small horizontal scar, barely visible against her porcelain skin.

"W-What?" she says groggily. As her eyes open, she jerks back and curls away from him. "Go away." She says while sobbing.

"Victoria it's me." He says, his voice trembling.

"No. You're another illusion. JUST GO!" she screams, tears falling from her face.

"I'm not an illusion." He says softly and he touches her shoulder gently. She tenses up but allows the touch.

"Prove it. Tell me something only Nero would know."

He nods in understanding. "Ask me anything, Sha." He says, using the Cajun word for sugar, the nickname he had given her.

She takes a deep breath and relaxes a little bit. "What was the promise you made me in Denver, right before we attacked?"

Nero leans in close and whispers into her ear. "I would rip the universe in two, just to be by your side."

"Then what was the promise you made in Albuquerque?" She asks while coming out of the fetal position to actually look at him. She lets a few tears drop and reaches for his face. Nero takes her hand and holds in to his face, relishing her touch. Still crying, she pulls away. "What was the promise?"

Looking at her, with tears of his own falling freely and his shoulders shuddering, he says. "I promised I would never leave you Vi."

She glares at him. "Then why did you leave me Nero?"

Something inside him breaks and he sobs. Reaching for her, he looks into her eyes, "I can't explain baby. But I can show you."

She nods. "Show me then." Slowly he leans forward until their foreheads touch and shows her what happened. He shows her his memories of them. Then the day they attacked Vegas. Then lastly, he shows her his fight with Brick, his fall off the building and his decline into guilt and depression without her by his side.

"Nero." She sobs and throws her arms around his neck and buries her face in his neck. She says his name over and over, clutching him tight against her. She still doesn't believe he's there.

"I'm here baby. I won't let anything happen to you ever again. I Promise." Nero murmurs. She cries for a few more minutes and finally calms down enough.

Nero stands up brings her with him. "Come, we need to find Jess." As he stands, he notices she keeps her hair in front of the left side of her face, like a curtain, concealing her scar. Gently he tucks her hair behind her ear and she glances away.

"Don't look at me. Please, Nero." She says, her voice wavering.

Nero pulls her tight to his chest and kisses her forehead. "Everything is going to be okay, vi." He whispers reassuringly.

"I'm flawed. I'm scarred and broken." She sobs, her fists bunching up his shirt. "Everything is not going to be alright. I couldn't stop-" she pauses "I couldn't stop him from hurting me and I couldn't stop that bitch from hurting your sister."

"You did everything you could. You fought so hard, and I don't know anyone who is stronger baby." He holds her face in his hands and wipes her tears away using his thumbs. He plants a chaste kiss on her lips. "You're not broken nor are you flawed. You're perfect, okay?"

"Perfectly flawed more like it." She grumbles, but smiles nonetheless.

"I like that." He chuckles. He leans in for another kiss and she flinches, he nods in understanding and does not push. Fresh tears form and his heart lurches, but he sees that the road to recovery is going to be a long and arduous one. As he's pulling away, Victoria shakes her head a bit and pulls him in for a lasting kiss. _Like two broken puzzle pieces_ he thinks.

"I love you." She whispers as they break away, her face buried in the crook of his neck. Her tears still falling freely on to his skin as she holds him close.

"I Love you too." He replies.

He leads her from the cell and down the hall to where they were keeping his little sister. He warps the doors lock and steps inside with Victoria. Jess has faired better than Victoria and the only sings of abuse she shows are the track marks down her arms along with her sallow complexion. She's lost weight, now it seems she's nothing but skin and bones and her eyes are rimmed with bags. Nero silently vows to destroy the facility.

"About fucking time, Nero." Jess says sarcastically, although her voice betrays her relief and exhaustion.

"Language Jess." He jokes.

"Yeah yeah. Just get me the fuck out of this cell so we can destroy this hellhole." She snaps.

Nero chuckles and hugs his little sister. "I missed you, little sis."

"I missed you too." She says. "Oh by the way, nice trick getting here, get a new trick on your way here?"

"How'd you-"

"I'm everywhere and nowhere big brother."

He lets out a sigh of relief. "Does anyone else know?" he asks worried.

Jess shakes her head. "I'm a little fuzzy Nero. They keep me injected with some sort of relaxant, so I can't phase in and out of here. Also they have some sort of dampener in this room, probably this whole floor. The only reason I could see you was because you're my brother. I can sense my blood." Nero nods and helps her up and places his hand on her back sends energy into her to get rid of the drug in her system. After a few minutes she can stand, "Okay, let's go. Get me away from this cell and go until I can teleport us away from here."

"I can telepo-" Nero begins but is cut off by Jess giving him the 'shut up' look.

"You can't teleport both of us a few hundred miles away. Only I can do that. You're best range is fifty miles in complete darkness." She says, as if stating a well-known fact. Nero just nods and helps her and Vi limp down the hallways and up a flight of stairs. Miraculously, they ran into no guards. As they neared a window Jess takes a deep breath as well as Victoria. "We're out of the dampeners range. Come lets go." She takes a deep breath and as she's about to teleport when she and Victoria double over in pain and scream. Nero jumps at the sound and sees the both of them crouched in the fetal position and hugging themselves. Sweat starts to glisten off their bodies and even though their screams have stopped, their bodies still shake.

"Such wonderful devices don't you think Nero?" a woman's voice asks. The girls stop screaming but are still doubled over and whimper. He turns around and see's the queen bitch herself along with Brick and two other Conduits.

"Glass." He states. He can tell by her eyes she smiling under her scarf. He clenches his fists so hard his fingernails dig into his palms leaving crescent marks.

"Spot on Nero." She laughs. "You're powers of observation never cease to amaze me. Do you know why they're in pain Mr. Aburdene?" He stays quiet as he kneels down to send energy into Jess and Vi. His eyes widened, as they scream again. He stopped and glared at Glass as he laughed. "Transmitters in their spinal cord deliver a shock to the nervous system, causing immense pain every time they try and use their powers." She says with conviction. "And any other powers that enter their bodies have the same effect."

His eyes widen. She revealed more than she meant to. With both hand he reaches to their spines and senses the transmitter. Nero formed small spikes on each of his index fingers and wincing at the screams of his sister and his girlfriend; stabbed into their skin, destroying the transmitters. Glass furrowed her eyebrows and her silver eyes show anger. "What did you just do?" she says through gritted teeth. He smiles in response and stands in front of them.

"Jess, get Victoria out of here." He says over his shoulder as he's unfolding his scythe and standing ready for a fight. He glances back and looks Jess directly in the eye, and sending her directions to where they were supposed to meet Cole into her mind.

"But Nero."

"Go!" he shouts. "I'll be right behind you." Victoria starts to lunge toward him but fades out of existence as Jess teleports them away. Glass crosses her arms in disappointment and shakes her head. "Guards, take him." Soldiers spill from behind Glass and her entourage, charging at Nero. Steeling himself for the amount of energy it would take; Nero placed his hand on the wall and sent out dark energy along the wall, turning the white tiles into pitch-black obsidian. The soldiers stop in fear and glance around at the sudden change in their surroundings. He stepped forward, trying not to pass out. Smothering the walls and lights in darkness took an insane amount of energy. With the lights on like that, it was all he could do not to pass out from the exertion.

Letting his head low, he starts walking forward slowly. A laugh builds up inside him, emanating from the coldest and darkest depths of his soul. It's a low, insidious sound that made the soldiers freeze and their hearts thump faster as he approached. Swaying from one foot to the other with each step and dragging hi scythe along the ground; making a sound similar to nails being dragged down a chalkboard, he stops a few yards away. Nero finally glances up at the soldiers, what they see breaks their resolve. Both of his eyes are blood red, and when he smiles, his teeth are jagged fangs. With a snarl, he tears through the mind of each soldier making them paralyzed.

A trembling soldier drops his gun and falls to his knees. Nero dashes forward and cuts the man diagonally in half. As the bloody half of the torso hits the soldier to his right Nero reappeared with his back to him, spun and cut his legs out from under him and then places his blade sticking up and impales the now legless soldier. Nero looks up to the still frozen guard, right as he raises his gun to fire. Before he can get a shot off, Nero's already severed his head. The next guard steps up behind him to attempt to kill the Conduit cloaked in shadow, "ENOUGH OF THIS MIND FUCKING!" He shouts as he fires his rifle.

Dashing through shadows, he appears behind the lunatic, he sticks him with a punch dagger through his back and gathers up the energy of the hall. Dashing a safe distance away he summoned a shield of darkness and liberated the energy. The resounding blast left the hallway destroyed. Silently praying that the blast had Killed Glass. Letting the shadows dissipate from the hall, and as the dust settled he saw the hall was destroyed, the walls and floor where he'd liberated the stored energy where gone. The blast had killed the remaining guards and taken out a section of the floor above and below. He looked past the hole and saw that Glass had constructed a shield of her own. Nero saw her shattered reflection looking at him with an amused look in her eyes.

She lifted her hand and the shield shattered completely; littering the floor with shards of glass. As she walked forward one of her entourage, a tall man wearing a grey suit, sunglasses and platinum blonde hair raised his hand and constructed a steel bridge across the hole Nero had created. Panting he struggled to his feet. _Shit,_ he thought, _Looks like I'm not going to make it back to Victoria._ He closed his eyes and pictured her face and sought comfort from it. The new scar she'd accrued made her look even more beautiful in his eyes. _Perfectly flawed_ he thought. He dropped his scythe and opened his chest. At least they were safe. He concentrated and sent Victoria a mental message, _I love you Vi_. He hoped she had gotten it.

Nero felt a sharp pain in his chest, then the feeling of fire flooding through his lungs. Gasping his eyes flew open. There, instead of something that would kill him, was the same type of dart she'd shot him with the first time. Though there was a white/silver liquid splashing within this one. The burning kept up and he let out a scream and falls to his side convulsing. "Find out where they went." He heard her say, "And take him to cell number 12. Keep the lights turned up painfully bight. Let's see how his body reacts to this serum." She kept speaking but the world blurred and it felt as if he was under water. Soon all he could see was white.


	25. Chapter 25

_When the world finally comes into focus, he realizes it's another memory. He's in the cell that he'd found Victoria in. It looks like she'd just been tossed back in, her prisoner uniform is tattered and her back shows new wounds. She's silently sobbing and hugging herself. "Nero." She whimpers as she says his name over and over again. As if his name was giving her strength. He wants to reach out to her but he can't, it's like his arms are tied behind his back._

 _The cell door opens and Nero can see Brick standing there, a malevolent gleam to his eyes. "This can all be over if you just tell us what we want to know." He says nonchalantly, but the underlying tone shows that he loves that she's putting up a fight. "If you keep resisting, I'm going to have to keep punishing you." The disgusting Conduit says. He was only 5'5 but he was built and his small dark eyes hungered for violence. Stepping closer he starts to unzip his pants and starts to pull the sobbing girl closer to him. As he yanks her forcefully so she can look at him, he realizes his mistake. He left the door open, and light from the hall was spilling in._

 _With an inhuman cry of rage her hand bursts in to white flames and she sets his crotch on fire. He lets out a pained cry and she places her hand on his face and lets out a flash of light, blinding him in his left eye. Crying out he stumbles back and flips an alarm on the outside of her cell. Victoria lunges for her chance at freedom but it's too late. Guards have spilled out and the lights have been cut rendering the hallways black._

 _She's grabbed and forced to her knees while two Chunt's hold her arms out to the side. She can't see, but she knows each guard has night vision capabilities within his helmet and brick probably donned a helmet so he could see her. Roughly he yanks her hair back, exposing her face, she can hear him forming concrete in his right hand. "You fucking bitch!" He snarls; she cringes at the smell of his rotten breath. "I'm going to make you pay for that."_

 _His first cut is to her right cheek as he makes a horizontal slash. She grimaces but does not scream out; no she won't give him the satisfaction. She doesn't scream as he tears deeper into her forehead and then her cheek. Though she lets a few tears fall, she doesn't let her scream escape. "Eye for an eye you little cunt. I'll be back later to finish what I came here for." He growls._

 _As he's turning away, he stops when she starts laughing. Brick turns his head and stares at her. She's smiling and laughing. Stepping up to her, he leans down so he's face to face. "What's so funny?" he asks._

 _"Quite a few things actually." She says while still laughing._

 _"Such as?" he asks, annoyed._

 _"The fact you think you scare me, along with that fact you think you'll be back to try and rape me again. God how many women actually felt you try? That's why you're such an alpha male isn't it?" She laughs. "Compensate much?"_

 _Brick shouts and backhands her hard enough to split her lip. She spits blood and glares dagger at him, while also laughing. He yanks her hair again, "Anything else that's funny?" He asks._

 _Her gaze level with him, she smiles. "Nero is coming to find me, and when he does, he is going to kill you slowly and painfully."_

 _Brick looks at her with a bemused expression. "Is he now? Well I'd better break it to you sweetheart, but I killed him in Las Vegas." The statement sends her into another fit of laughter._

 _"It's adorable you think you can kill him. But not even Cole can kill Nero. You may have wounded him, but just wait. He's coming."_

 _Brick looks at the guards, "Throw her back in her cell." He turns away and limps away to tend to his wounds._

As he wakes, all he sees is white. Nero sits up with some difficulty and looks around. He's being held in a white, padded cell. Ten by ten and not even a bucket; the only thing in his new home are the see through shackles around his wrists, ankles, and connected to a belt at his waist. Without even looking he can tell he won't be able to break them. Noticing his clothes have been replaced by an orange jumpsuit he sighs, taking a deep breath Nero looks around through squinted eyes. It's painfully bright in here, almost as if the cells walls and floor were big fluorescent lights.

Though something feels off, he doesn't feel week or drained of his powers like he should. In the light, especially this bright, Nero wouldn't be able to manifest his powers at all. In sunlight or anywhere that didn't have some sort of shade, he felt weak and drained. Here he felt somewhat powerful; though still sore, he didn't feel at all weak. It was similar to the feeling of when he was in complete darkness. _This doesn't feel right_ he thought _I feel fully charged and ready to go when I shouldn't be. Maybe I got another power? I mean that's what happened last time, right?_

Suddenly, he feels someone trying to tear into his thoughts. Gritting his teeth he concentrates on defending from the attack. _Get. Out. Of. My. Head._ He sends through the attacks. Clenching his fists he mentally shoves back and tries tearing into their mind. He catches glimpses of New Marais, Beignets, and a little girl with snow-white hair. He freezes, "Alexandria?" he asks to the empty room. "Alexandria is that you?" He prods, still keeping his mental defenses up.

 _'Don't say that name out loud!'_ A cold voice responds within his head _._

He nods very subtly as if she can see him. Before he can ask her anything, she sets on him with a barrage of questions. ' _Do you know Victoria? Is she alive? Where is my sister?'_ He flinches at the desperate tone of her voice.

"Yes I know Victoria and yes she's alive. You of all people should know. She was at this facility getting tortured!" He responds through the mental link. He hears her gasp then feels her rage.

 _'I didn't know she was here. I wasn't briefed about it. The only prisoner I was briefed about was your sister, even then I was only allowed to gently ease through her memories. Then I saw her, but I thought -'_

"You thought she was dead. I know I saw your memories of being trained and tortured. I saw how you were ambushed and I understand how you feel. But Victoria is alive."

He feels her let out a sigh of relief, but then he feels her suspicion. ' _How do you know any of that?'_

"Glass shot me full of some weird drug that mimicked your powers. Made me relive my worst memories and fears. But I snapped out of it and I gained a few of your powers, along with witnessing a memory of yours."

 _'So it does work.'_ She states, ' _but how did you come to learn some of my powers?'_

"I don't know. But wait, what? What works?" he asks confused.

 _'It's a new type of weapon Glass is toying with. She takes bone marrow samples from whatever conduit she can and somehow weaponizes the DNA. Usually it mimics the powers of a conduit, so mine would show someone's worst fears or memories. Sometimes she can use it to give powers to non-conduits, but it's wildly unpredictable. More often than not the subject ends up dying.'_ She says.

As Nero's trying to comprehend the new information, she continues. _'Wait. If you were able to survive the serum and gain more powers from it… Holy shit your DNA contains the missing link for her research. With it she can fulfill her plan!'_ Alexandria exclaims.

"What plan?"

 _'The New president wants to become a conduit so he can be cured of the plague. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't have the conduit gene. But that isn't stopping him, so he has Glass conducting these experiments so he can become one and have his own army.'_

"Why does he need his own army?" Nero asks, fearing the answer.

 _'Why else would he want his own army of superhuman's? Other than killing you and the legion.'_ She says, her voice full of dread. _'Nero we have to get you out of here.'_

"I'm not leaving this place until I kill Glass, Brick and every fucking person in this building." Nero says angrily. "You're going to help me right?"

 _'I'll do anything to get the fuck out of here.'_

"Do we have a plan?"

 _I've got an idea..'_

 **AN: Please leave a review.**


	26. Chapter 26

Sighing in frustration he shifted his position on the floor again. Nero didn't know how long they had kept him in there, but he was getting bored. He still couldn't believe Alexandria was still alive, and that she was going to help him get out of here. As he's rolling over yet again, the door opens. Grinning he sits up and cracks his neck. "Well it's about damn time you paid me some attention." He looked at the man who had stepped into his cell. 6'5 and dressed in a dark grey suit with a black shirt, and sunglasses, he looked more like a lawyer than a Conduit. If it weren't for the long platinum blond hair and the tattoo creeping up his neck, he'd fit right in at just about any firm.

Standing there with his arms crossed he arched an eyebrow over his sunglasses, and yanked Nero to his feet. Instead of fighting he went willingly. If the plan was going to work, he had to act physically drained. He could act defiant and sarcastic, but he couldn't reveal anything. Not yet.

Taking him through the compound, he ended up in the same area he'd seen in Alexandria's memory. About the size of a football field of straight concrete, just an empty area, but he did see cracks and scorch marks on the surface. His escort shoved him through the opening into the testing arena. Composing himself he took a deep breath and shuffled forward. The lighting in here was dim, but not dark unfortunately. He couldn't pull off any of his more powerful attacks. A researcher and guard step up to him and place a metal collar around his neck. Judging from the memory of Alexandria, this would shock the hell out him if he disobeyed. Next his shackles were removed. While he stretched the researcher and the guard retreated to the safety behind the gate.

Walking toward the center he looks up and sees an observation window, standing behind it is Glass and her entourage of Conduits. Brick, Alexandria and another Conduit Nero hadn't seen before stand behind her. Grinning, he can't suppress the laugh that builds up as he looks at bricks face. His left eye is covered with a patch and the area surrounding it is heavily burned. Still laughing he holds his middle finger up to the group.

Curling her lips in disgust, at least he thinks that what he sees, she presses a button and a shock is delivered through his collar forcing him down to his knees. "There will be none of that Mr. Aburdene."

Pressing another button, a gate on the far side of the arena opens up. Another man stumbles in, another Conduit by his orange jumpsuit and shackles. His brown hair is tangled and greasy, and he looks as if he hasn't slept in days. If he didn't look like death, Nero would've guessed he wasn't any older than 25. Looking back up at the booth he raises his eyebrows. Alexandria nods slightly enough so that only he could see the movement, _'Try not to kill him and don't reveal your new power.'_ She says through the mental link they've established. Nero growls slightly but doesn't respond.

Glass touches a button on the intercom and starts speaking, not to him though, to the other Conduit. "Prisoner 028, I have a deal to make you." The conduit perks right up and looks right at her. "Kill the Conduit in front of you and you will be freed from your imprisonment, to work as an agent." Prisoner 028 can't nod his head fast enough. Glass nods and motions to the researchers; they step up and remove his shackles and place a collar around his neck.

The man gulps and starts toward Nero and his hands start glow with Neon. _So he's like fetch_ Nero thinks. Suddenly the man bursts into a run fueled by his powers, leaving a trail of neon. Darting side to side and rushes at Nero, his hand flat and glowing he shoves it through Nero's chest. At least he tries to; instead of meeting resistance, he flies through his opponent. The prisoner's momentum throws him off and he tumbles to the ground, he yells in frustration and tries again.

Nero looks at the frustrated Conduit in front of him, and shakes his head. "We can try this all day but you won't be able to land a blow." He says nonchalantly as the prisoners sends a blast of neon through him. Nero sighs, "I'm intangible. You can't hit me."

"Fight me you coward!" The prisoner screams as he rushes forward again, Fed up Nero catches the mans arm mid strike, and takes the energy of the man into himself, absorbing it and draining the man of his power and stamina. Dropping to his knees, prisoner 028 let's out a gasp of pain. Nero looks into the man's eyes, brown and pleading, and blasts him in the chest.

 _'I told you not to kill him!'_ Alexandria berates him through the mental link.

"Deal with it." Nero tells her without looking up. When he does look up, he makes his expression look bored. "That all you got?" he challenges Glass.

"That was a warm up Mr. Aburdene." she assures him. Over the course of an hour, four more conduits try to kill him. Nero handles them all without breaking a sweat and sticking to the same tactic. Though on the last one he tore through his opponent's fears, and broke him before the fight had begun. Before he had taken three steps, the prisoner collapsed.

"Seriously give me a challenge, this is pathetic." He calls up to the box. Suppressing a smile as he sees her fuming, she turns to brick and says something he can't make out. Brick stiffens and scowls, then walks out of the room. A moment later he appears at the far end of the arena and starts towards Nero, concrete forming over his body as armor. Grinning madly, Nero cracks his neck and coats himself in shadows for a moment. When he releases them, he's dressed in his usual outfit and has his trusty scythe in his right hand.

Laughing he looks at brick, "Looks like my girl was too much for you huh Anthony?" Brick just has the same frown on as he approaches.

"Ready for me to plant that blade into your chest again?" Brick challenges, arms crossed he glares at Nero through his one good eye.

"Nah I was thinking we'd take turns. You got me last time, so it's your turn now." Without warning he teleports to bricks shadow and swings his blade, catching him in the ribs. Sucking in a breath of pain he swings his fist down upon Nero's head, but passes through without hitting anything. Nero tsks him, and swings his weapon and cuts through his other side. Teleporting behind him, he slashes down Bricks spine. Growling, he backhands Nero hard enough to break his nose and cheekbones. Getting up and spitting blood, he barely has time to turn intangible as Brick barges through him. Spinning Nero swings his blade horizontally across Bricks back. Falling to his hands and knees, he looks back at Nero and curls his fist.

Looking down, his legs were encased in concrete. Then Brick slams his fist into Nero's sternum, knocking the breath out of him and making him double over as much as he could. With a scream of rage he makes a dagger of concrete, and stabs at Nero's head, but stops just an inch away. Instead of the umbramancer, he sees his son. That moment's hesitation is all the time Nero needs to swing his scythe into Brick's crotch. Breaking through the concrete shield, his blade struck home, drawing blood and effectively castrating him. Doubling over in pain and letting out a pathetic whimper he falls to his knees.

Breaking free of the concrete encasing his legs he leans in close. Nero looks at the Conduit kneeling before him. "That was for what you did to victoria." He snarls; placing his palm over Brick's remaining eye, "This is for kidnapping my little sister" he manifests a spike and gouges it out. Screaming out and falling back, Brick lashes out with his powers, trying to at least wound Nero.

Raising his scythe above his head, he slams it down into Brick's chest, puncturing the armor, breaking through the sternum, clipping the heart and sticking into the ground. Kneeling down he listens to the man's dying breaths. Growling he takes The Conduits face into his hands, "And that was for stabbing me with my own blade." Dropping his head on the ground, Nero picks up his scythe, and swings it to get rid of the blood. Turning he faces the observation room. Alexandria is wide eyed and in shock. The other two Conduits show no emotion. Glass however is furious; "What are you waiting for? Get down there and Kill him!" she shrieks.

The Conduit in the middle places his hands on Alexandria's and the other Conduits shoulders and teleports them down in front of Nero. Glass punches a few buttons on the console in front of her. Light shines down from the ceiling, blocking his ability to use his powers. Letting his scythe disappear into the void, he Stares at the trio as they circle him, before he can prod Alexandria, electricity courses through his body and he falls to the floor. Grimacing at the effort it takes, he raises his hands to the collar, and turns them white hot and burns through it. Throwing it off, he stands up and casts a challenging grin to Glass, who is looking at him with a mixture of confusion, rage, and curiosity. The trio looks at him with confusion. "Okay so at least we know for sure that I can do that." He tells Alexandria. "But what now?"

 _'See the Conduit who teleported us down here? The one with short hair? His name is frank, he's an energy sponge, he can block people's powers, and the only reason he isn't trying to block yours yet, is because the lights are on. He thinks your powers are too diminished. '_ She states

"Who's the other one?" Nero shoots back as he raises his hands in order to defend himself.

 _'That's Hunter. His power is controlling steel and the ability to turn into solid steel.'_

"Got a plan to deal with Frank?" Nero asks

 _"I'm going to paralyze him, you stab him."_

"With what weapon?"

 _'Make one out of light. I'm sure it's the same thing you can do with shadows.'_ Without any further discussion, she looks at the Conduit in question, he locks up and his eyes go wide. Before anyone can move, Nero uses his new power. Moving at the speed of light, everything seems to be in slow motion, he can hear Glass shrieking in the background. Glancing around he can see the other Conduit; his fist, encased in steel, slowly approaching Alexandria's jaw. Focusing forward, he holds out his hand and materializes a sword made of light, and plunges it into his targets heart. Burning through the skin and muscles and protruding out of his back. Pulling the blade out, he lets the Conduit fall.

When time returns, he sees Alexandria go flying across the room from the blow to her jaw and lays there, unmoving. Turning his gaze to hunter, he sees his skin as turned into steel and his eyes bore into him. Raising his arms, the steel Conduit changes his right arm into a blade and his left into a shield. Nero raises his sword and glares at him.

"So when did you convince Wraith to help you?" Hunter asks, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.

"When she found out her sister was alive. It really didn't take much convincing to be completely honest." Nero states. Hunter nods in understanding, and grins. Lunging forward with unexpected speed he stabs at Nero's chest. Using his new found speed he spins around the attack, and using a backhanded slash, strikes his opponent on the back. Arching and hissing he lunges away from Nero, the steel on his back turning orange and his suit is smoldering. Sprinting toward the Steel clad superhuman, he strikes him. But he meets him blow for blow with his shield, and then he pushes back and stabs at Nero. Leaping back, he tries to think of a way to get past that shield.

Nero let's the sword disappear, and raises his hands to the ceiling, drawing in the light to himself. Half of the lights go out, leaving checkered spots of light and shadows throughout the arena. Nero looks down at his arms, and sees the light swirling around the length. Before he can look up, a shield bashes his chest, cracking his sternum and a few ribs; he goes flying and hits the ground hard. Forcing himself up, though he sees spots dancing before his eyes. Shaking his head, he shoots out a stream of light, hitting the shield he's guarding himself with. The stream gets hotter and hotter and more focused. Nero puts more energy into it and pushes one final time before letting the stream stop.

Looking through the steam and smoke, he spots Hunter. He's on his knees and his left arm is melted to a stub. His suit is burnt on the left side and the skin beneath is glowing orange. Panting, he tries to push himself to his feet, but he doesn't have the energy. Nero stalks toward him, switching to his normal power, and lets the shadows spill down his arms.

Pulling his fist back he creates a punch dagger and stabs through the steel skin of the Conduit, and gathers up all the energy of the room and past it, spreading into the facility itself and anchoring it to the dagger. The room and the very essence of life around them, turns grey. Freezing, Hunter knows exactly what's about to happen, he can't move or stop it. As Nero is walking toward Alexandria, he calls out. "You're really going to destroy this place? With all the workers and Conduits here?" Hoping Nero would see what he was doing.

"If destroying this facility kills Glass, then I'm more than happy to do it." Nero says with conviction.

"Listen to me Nero. I know you didn't join the legion to kill humans. I know you kill because you have to, and I know you want to kill Cole." He argues.

"You see that's where you would be wrong Hunter. I don't kill because I _have_ to. I kill because I _want to_ and because I _enjoy_ it. I enjoy being a Conduit. I've become more than what was though possible. And maybe I will kill him, maybe I won't. Only time will tell." Nero chuckles. Kneeling by Alexandria, he spreads his hands out and forms a protective barrier. "Goodbye Hunter, maybe in different circumstances you and I could have been friends."

Hunter sighs, accepting his fate. "I doubt it." Nero smirks and liberates the energy.


	27. Chapter 27

**AN: Hey so I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, but here's the next chapter in Nero's journey. If you've made it this far; congratulations, you deserve a cookie. Also please leave a review and tell me what you think. Flames welcome, praise is also welcome. Anyways enjoy.**

Through double vision, Alexandria watches from her position on the floor as Nero forms a barrier between them and the pent up energy surrounding them. As her sight comes into focus she sees Nero's bloodthirsty grin. _He enjoys this_ she thinks as she looks at his eyes. The black of his pupils, now replaces the usually attractive icy sheen that would normally greet her. With his right eye twitching she sees his sadistic hunger. A hunger she'd seen in Glass on rare occasion. A sick madness saved for the most deranged psychopaths. Gazing into his eyes finally lends credence to the saying of gazing into the abyss; she could feel the pull of his madness from her position on the cold concrete floor.

As her hearing comes into focus, she could faintly hear Hunter say in his metallic voice, "I doubt it." Still looking at the sadistic Umbramancer, she sees his mouth turn up into a smirk. His lips curling over his stark white teeth and the corner of his mouth coming to a point. That mixed with the insanity of his glare, makes her grow cold. He brings up his right hand and holds his thumb and his middle finger together and snaps. _What is he?_ Her thoughts are interrupted as the area in front of her erupts into a violent explosion.

As the dust clings to the air, making it nearly impossible to see, she hears a sound that makes her blood run cold in her veins. She can hear Nero Laughing manically, his voice rising higher and higher into pitch. Moving forward through the rubble and the grey dust and smoke she can make out his silhouette. He's leaning forward, holding his stomach.

As his laughter dies out, he takes a deep breath and throws his head back. As if seeing the carnage for the first time he looks around at the destruction he'd wrought. "God damn I'm getting good at that." He states to Alexandria as she comes into view.

"What was that?" she asks, dazed beyond belief.

"Oh this?" he gestures to the now sizeable crater in the ground and the rest of the arena. "I can take all the stored energy of places and liberate. Makes a nice explosion if you ask me." Nero flashes her a grin.

"And what about Glass?" she asks.

Before he can answer, a voice she knows all too well answers. A cold voice, emotionless and calculating, slightly muffled by the scarf wrapped around her face. "And what about me wraith?" Glass snarls. Nero whirls around spreading his senses outward trying to find out where she is.

"Come on out Glass. There's nowhere to hide and nowhere to run." Nero says, though his voice betrays his exhaustion. Liberating that much energy had left him drained. He rests his hands on his knees and takes breath that rattles in his chest. He starts to cough, and cover his mouth. When he pulls them away they're stained crimson. _Oh shit_ Nero thinks _I pushed it too far this time._

As the thought leaves his head, he barely registers a shape in front of him until it's too late. A dagger made of glass pierces through his coat and slides between his ribs. Sucking in a breath and coughing up blood at the same time he can feel the thin blade resting on his bones and making a groove. The hand holding onto the blade let go, letting him fall to the floor.

"Nero!" Alexandria screams, and starts toward him but stops when a shard of glass narrowly misses her.

"Now now wraith, you wouldn't want to make any drastic actions." Alexandria can hear a faint hint of instability to her voice. "You can still come back to us. This one has clouded your judgment." She says not hiding her contempt.

"Well fuck you too." Nero half gargles from the floor; gritting his teeth he starts to push himself up, but Glass stomps his back so he falls back down. Having had enough, Alexandria starts to tear through her mind but meets a wall.

"That's enough Wraith." Glass snarls as she shoots a shard at her, but it passes through her harmlessly. Being intangible has its perks. Glass shrieks and starts to attack, but stops when a spike of shadows punctures through her shoulder. As her blood spurts from the wound, Nero is on his feet hand on her arm, draining her energy and replacing his own. Finally healing and able to stand, he tears her scarf off of her face and takes in the sight.

Her face; angular and slightly angelic, with high cheekbones and a small mouth, is scarred from her mouth down. Arcing scars crisscross her chin and neck, faint and silver, but visible all the same. Screaming she grabs the hilt of her dagger and twists it, scraping against his bones and opening the hole in his lung. Growling he pulls more energy from her and makes his hand go white hot with light and places it on her face. Screaming she stumbles back, pulling her dagger with her.

Falling to his knees and struggling for breath Nero gazes at the burnt face of Allison glass. His handprint his seared into her flesh and she's screaming. Spitting out more blood he tries to stand again, and is shocked when Alexandria helps him stand. Looking at her, he sees the shocking similarities between her and victoria. Same set jaw, the same determined look on her face and the same kind eyes, though Alexandria's have a darkness and cynicism to hers that Victoria lacks. But that's where the similarities end. Instead of white hair, hers is the color of tar and her eyes are a surprisingly dark shade of brown, almost black.

Turning his gaze to the broken figure of Glass, he sees that Alexandria has a focused look on her face. He realizes she's tearing through Glass' mind. With a cry of rage the conduit once known as Wraith tries to push deeper into the Conduit Generals' mind. Shaking and convulsing Glass hurls a shimmering blade at Alexandria and it hits her in the stomach. Finally free of her grasp, Glass sprints away deeper into the destroyed compound.

Doubling over in pain and moaning, Alexandria pulls the blade out of her abdomen. Nero, still struggling to stand, places a hand on her and sends waves of energy into her, healing her wound.

"Thanks." She gasps. Nero nods and tries to fight the urge to close his eyes. Realizing how hurt he is, Alexandria patches him up, but he can still barely stand. "Nero." She says, "Where is your camp? Where are you meeting the others?" He looks at her with half lidded eyes and sends her the coordinates mentally. He mumbles something that sounds like 'goodnight' and goes limp. The sudden weight dropped in her arms is almost too much. She sets him down gently on his back so she can assess the damage. Placing her hand on his chest she spreads her senses to him internally. His left lung is badly damaged, but that's not his biggest problem.

He pushed himself too far with liberating the energy, it a suicidal move for anyone on any level. He leveled the facility and killed everyone in it. Using her senses, she saw that the arena was the only structure still standing, though she could sense that it wasn't far from collapsing. Fissures were appearing everywhere within the arena. She had to act fast. Once again placing her hands on his chest she sent waves through his body, seeking out damage and repairing what she could. Healing had never been her strong suit so she wasn't helping much at all. The damage just seemed too severe.

 _Screw it I'll just leave him and I'll meet up with the others._ She thinks bitterly, _But what about Victoria? How are you going to tell her you left her boyfriend to die?_ "Fuck!" she all but screams to herself. Pulling him up into a sitting position she wraps shadows around them like a thick fog. Concentrating on the location Nero had given her she lets them sink into the cold embrace of the void.


	28. Chapter 28

Every trip through the void gets easier; that being said, it still doesn't mean it's pleasant in the slightest. Alexandria shudders as the cold tendrils of the void embrace her and Nero, and pull them into the silence. Everything becomes black, and there's the faint feeling of wind whipping through her hair. Though she should be used to it now, the muscles in her back contract, as if some malevolent creature is breathing down her neck. Then it was all over, and the void had dumped them out at the location Nero had given her.

Victoria was pacing; back and forth in Coles tent. Her back rigid and her eyebrows furrowed. Cole having watched her pace for over an hour clears his throat to catch her attention.

"You should still be resting." He states calmly and in a neutral tone. Victoria snarls and flips him the finger. He sighs, she's still pissed he won't let her run off to the lab and burn the place to the ground. Hell in her state she could barely burn a tree down. Her time in Lab 32 had sapped her strength; it was a miracle she and Jess had made it back alive. Then again, it was all thanks to Nero and his idiotic sacrifice. They had no way of knowing if he was even alive or if they were going to be safe in this location.

"I should be out there looking for him." Victoria rants, "I shouldn't have let him face Glass alone!" Cole nods empathetically.

"There's nothing you could've done Victoria." Jess says from the corner of the tent. Cole glances over at her. She's looking a lot better than when she got back to camp, but she was still weak. "Nero is the most stubborn person in the world."

Victoria spins and snarls, and is about to scream obscenities, when a sudden chill sweeps through the camp. Her breath comes out in a plume in front of her face and this sudden change in weather seems sinister. The shadows around the tent start to swirl like smoke, and tendrils float up almost lazily. There's a presence here. A primal one not good, but not bad either, it's a presence that she has called home for months. One word escapes her lips before she bolts out of the tent, toward the origin of the presence. "Nero."

At the very center of camp, Shadows are appearing out of nowhere, swirling in ever growing intensity. The wind whips Victoria's hair violently as she sprints toward the black hole that is growing ever more violent.

"Victoria! Stop it!" Cole shouts, his gravely voice barely carrying its message over the sound of the wind. Glancing back, she sees he's sprinting toward her. Shaking her head she starts toward the storm of shadows again, but instead of the writhing mass of blackness, what she sees knocks the breath out of her lungs.

It's Nero, his pale face marred by a scar along his jaw that she didn't see before. His Obsidian hair is messy and tangled, covering his eyes. The black coat that John had crafted for him is in tatters and someone else is holding him up. Someone she never thought she'd see again. A girl, with hair dark as tar, eyes so brown they're almost black and a sad smile. Alexandria Lavernge; her twin sister, her best friend, and her only family was standing right in front of her.

With a shy smile, Alexandria looks her sister in the eye. Her brown ones meeting the familiar green that she's known all of her life. Victoria's hold fear, anger and relief. Alexandria's hold apprehension, fear and relief. She raises her hand and smirks. "Hey sis."


	29. Chapter 29

_Throughout the grey skyline of Portland, Nero sits in the shadows. Waiting for his prey to come along. Wrapping his coat even tighter around himself, he shivers violently. "At least I can't get sick from being out in this." He says to himself miserably. He'd been here for a few days, and of all the Chunt's he'd tortured, none of them knew where lab 32 was. Well, no one else except for commander Shaw. The last Conduit Hunter he'd tortured broke after a few seconds and told Nero everything he knew. Which was pretty much nothing._

 _He smiled grimly at the memory, and grinned at the night he'd planned for Shaw. He was supposed to be making his rounds very soon, and by rounds he meant that the commander would be heading to his favorite pub, The Moon and the Sixpiece. Apparently the Commander would Dress as a civilian so he could drink in peace. Being a soldier on the losing side of a war was enough of an excuse to drink, being in charge however was a constant need for inebriation._

 _Just then he spots him, a man in his late twenties with a crew cut and an old hoodie. He's younger than expected, but it's him. Nero couldn't miss the scar that lined his face, arcing from is forehead and down to his cheek, cutting through his left eye. It's Shaw all right. Taking a deep breath, Nero drops from the ledge he was on to the street startling a hobo in the process. Pulling his hood up higher on his head and hunching his shoulders, he heads into the pub to confront his target._

 _The pub smells of wood, smoke, and top shelf Irish liquor. Nero pushes down the nostalgia that washes over him. It's just dark enough to provide a nice atmosphere, and it's warm in here to ward off the cold. Taking in a deep breath of the cider wood that permeates through the air, he takes a seat at the bar just two down from Shaw. Nero pushes his hood back and nods at the man behind the bar. Definitely a resident of Portland, no one else would be this comfortable in the weather. He's wearing a red flannel shirt and work jeans. His beer gut sticks out over his jeans and his face has lines that show he smiles a lot. At least he used to, there's grey in his beard and it isn't because of his age. He has wrinkles that show how worried he is and has bags under is eyes._

 _Reaching inside his pocket he pulls a few bills out and slides it to him, "Glenn Fiddich, on the rocks." He says calmly._

 _The bartender raises an eyebrow and snorts. "Ain't you a bit young to be drinking?" he asks with humor in his voice, which is laden with a subtle Irish accent._

 _Nero narrows his eyes and sets his jaw, and is just about to comment on how old he is when a new voice picks up. It's the kind of voice that carries no matter how soft it's spoken. It's the voice that demands respect and is oozing with authority and power. Nero's eyes flash wickedly when the message reaches his ears, and he puts the voice to a face._

 _"Let the kid drink Reilly. He's seen enough to warrant that drink." The Commander drawls._

 _Reilly nods and pours Nero his drink and dismisses himself under the pretense that he needs to check on the stock on his liquor. Shaw finishes his drink and slams his glass down on the Maplewood bar, cracks his neck and looks at Nero. Recognition flashes across his face as their eyes connect. Then to Nero's surprise he grins and chuckles to himself. Not sure what to think about it, Nero knocks back his drink, relishing the strong and bitter burn that follow. Sighing at the delicious flavor and strong kick, and slams his glass down._

 _As his glass hits the bar, Shaw speaks up. "How can I help you Shadow?"_

 _Nero chuckles at the nickname he had received, on he nonetheless answered to._

 _"I think you know why I'm here Shaw." Nero replies tiredly._

 _"Those twelve dead men couldn't tell you?" The young commander whispers, with and inhuman growl Nero tackles him to the ground and pins his arms. Letting the shadows spill from him, he manifests a dagger and slams in down inches from Shaw's head. The commander chuckles and flashes the shadow-mancer a grin before he launches him into the air, and crashing into the bar._

 _Shaw stands up and produces a knife and gets into a fighting stance. Recovering from the shock of the attack Nero stands, forming his dagger again. "You think that piece of steel will hurt me Shaw?" Nero taunts._

 _Smiling, the young commander shakes his head. "This isn't for you Nero." He almost whispers as he runs the blade across his palm, then the other. Confused Nero watches as the blade slices flesh, parting it and letting the blood out. Shaw doesn't even wince at the sight. "You must be confused how I launched you away so easily." He states matter-of-factly as he holds his palms out, letting the crimson liquid pool in his hand. Taking a deep breath, the blood begins to glow. Opening his eye, Nero can see the pupil is red, almost black. With a twitch of his fingers, the blood rises into individual tendrils._

 _Inhaling sharply Nero pushes down his disgust. "You're an engineered conduit aren't you?" he spits out. "What conduit did you steal that from Shaw? What did glass do?" He screams wanting answers, and all the more worried for his little sister and Girlfriend. Shaw just shakes his head sadly, and thrusts his hands out, sending the tendrils into Nero's chest knocking him back into the already dented bar._

 _"Fuck." Nero growls through the pain and turns intangible to lesson the pain. Looking down at the tendrils of solidified and crystalized blood and following them to Shaw; he sees regret on his face, along with disgust and pain. "So am I gonna get Aids now?" He jokes. Snarling Shaw, removes some of the tendrils, like recalling a whip and reforming them into a spear._

 _"Are those your last words?" Shaw questions through his rising disgust. Laughing Nero shakes his head and walks forward, keeping the tendrils where they are. Frowning Shaw increases the size of the tendrils, but it does nothing to Nero. Instead he teleports through the commanders shadow, coming up behind him. Summoning his scythe, he sweeps Shaw's legs out from under him._

 _Using the shadow underneath him, Nero uses thin strips of darkness to tie him down. He places bubbles of shadows around his fists as well. Turning around, Nero sees tears staining the ruined face of Shaw. Sobbing, and struggling against his restraints he whimpers, "Kill me. Just kill me. Please put me out of my misery." Confused Nero cocks his head and kneels down next to the thrashing commander._

 _"KILL ME. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD JUST FUCKING KILL ME!" The commander screams._

 _"You actually want me to kill you." Nero states. Shaw just whimpers more and nods. "Why?"_

 _"I'm an abomination. I didn't want this! I wasn't a conduit before all this shit, then the higher ups decided I'd be a perfect candidate for their experiments." He says between sobs._

 _"Why don't you just run off? Join us?" Nero responds._

 _"Because I'm an engineered Conduit. I'm not human, but I'm not Conduit. I'm an abomination. I hate this affliction; I hate these powers, this pain. I hate Glass and the higher ups. I just want out." He whispers, tears still coming out._

 _Shaking his head Nero stands up and releases his bonds. "If you hate them so much, tell me what I want to know. Help me destroy them."_

 _Shaw takes a deep breath and tells him where it is. Nodding, Nero starts to walk towards the door and stops. "Shaw?"_

 _Shaw looks at him quizzically, "what?"_

 _"If you want out, gather those who you know that support us, gather up the engineered conduits into your own company. And when we come back here, help us kill them all." He states with fire in his eyes._

Sucking in a sharp breath, Nero sits up, his whole body protesting in response. Breathing hard and sweating, he takes in his surroundings. He's in a makeshift tent, evident by the different materials patched together, and it's a typical A-frame tent. The kind used in the legion. He smiles worriedly. _How did I get back here?_ He thinks to himself, _the last thing I remember is._ His mind flashes back to the dagger Glass stuck in his ribs. Looking down he sees bandages wrapping around his chest. _Well that'll be another scar to the count._ He sighs lazily.

He tries getting up, but he ends up not being able to breathe. _Looks like that dagger fucked me up more than it should have. Well that and liberating all that energy._ Sitting back down he stares at the top of his tent, listening to the sounds of the legion, right outside his tent. Worry begins to settle in his stomach, _did victoria and Jess make it back here? Are they even alive?_ His thoughts are ripped away as the front of his tent his flipped open. Standing there is the one person on his mind.

Starting at her boots, his eyes climb. They climb past her ripped white jeans with the black spider-silk leggings underneath, past her black shirt with a hastily drawn sideways C on it. Up past her collar where the beginning of a sun necklace, to her delicate jaw, interrupted by the healed scar curving up to her beautiful forest green eyes, ones that hold relief when they see him up. They fill with tears and she rushes towards him and wraps her arms around him. Nero wraps his around her and is finally able to breathe without feeling as if a boulder is on his chest. "Hey Vi." He says with a smile upon his face. The first genuine smile he's had in weeks.


	30. Chapter 30

The passage of time matters not to Nero as his arms wrap around Victoria's waist, and hers around his shoulders and her face buried in the crook of his neck. The pain he felt only moments ago is pushed to the back of his mind. The immediate area around them blurs. It's only him and her, and that's all that matters. All too soon she withdraws a bit, making sure not to put too much pressure on his injuries. Her eyes are filled with relief, but as well as an undeniable anger. She slaps him across his cheek, and then gives him a look that demands he explain everything.

Sighing, he gives into the stare, "Look I know you're mad baby." He starts, "But I needed to get you to safety, and I wanted to kill him. I needed to hurt him for what he did, and I needed to kill Glass for all that she's done." Victoria understands his meaning. Still pissed, she narrows her eyes at him, but takes his hand in hers, running her hand along his calluses.

"You shouldn't have sent me away. You should have let me stay and help. Alexandria told me everything! You could have died, hell you almost died!" She chastises, "And for what? You're pride? Vengeance? Nothing is worth losing you Nero, I know you may not see it that way, but dammit I don't know what I would do if you died. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you died saving me." She whispers, her voice wavering.

Noticing his look of shame, she presses her lips to his. Pulling back she runs her fingers along his jaw, the mark Brick permanently left. Then she proceeds to gingerly take his bandages off. Fresh tears well in her eyes as she sees what he has endured. Hesitantly tracing the outline of the scar tissue on his right side, Victoria lets her tears fall freely.

"This is because of me." She sobs as Nero shakes his head and pulls her into his arms again.

"I would endure worse Vi." He whispers into her neck. Through her thin shirt, he can feel the signs of her stay at Lab 32, shaking her gingerly rubs her back, sending in as much energy as he can. Which is almost nonexistent. Pulling back Victoria smiles and takes his hands from her back.

"I'll keep them Nero." She smiles as she says it, "They're a reminder of how strong I can be. You taught me that remember?" Nero nods, finding it hard to keep his eyes open, but he doesn't want to go back to sleep. Noticing this, Victoria places her hand on his chest and sends energy into him, healing his aches and pains and waking him up.

"So how did I get back here?" Nero asks, slightly embarrassed he doesn't remember what happened.

Chuckling at his confusion and grateful for the change in topic, she absent-mindedly runs her fingers along his new scar, on the left side of his ribs. "Alexandria teleported you both into the camp from the lab. She said you helped save her." She hugs him again. "When she got you back here, you were almost dead." She says, her voice laden with fear. "Your pulse was so slow we couldn't find it at first and you were turning cold." A few more tears work their way free, running amok down her porcelain skin.

"She said you freed her and leveled the facility taking out three of Glass's engineered conduits including Brick." She continues, "Thank you Nero. Thank you for getting my sister back." Smiling she kisses him again, this time deeper. Nero pulls her tighter; gripping her like a drowning man would a lifeline. If he really was dead, then whatever deity was in charge decided he deserved paradise. Because that's where he was, with her he felt as if he was unstoppable.

Pulling away, she smiles shyly at him. "Come." She says, helping him stand up and she ushers him through the flap, and into the harsh light of day. Even though it's overcast out, the sudden light helps fill him with energy, but he still leans on Victoria for support. Sprawled before him is the legions encampment. Nero whistles softly, "Coles been busy." He observes.

Victoria chuckles, "You have no idea. Which reminds me, he wants to talk to you." Nero nods and they begin their slow trek to Coles tent.

Seeing Cole sends a shock through Nero. More of his skin has turned into the molten rock that he'd witnessed earlier. It dawns on him that the power to create new Conduits is killing him, and he doesn't have many more battles. Though he's still standing, Cole looks like death. He's pale, and the molten rock is creeping up to his chin.

Cole smirks. "You look like shit, Nero."

Despite the amount of pain he's in, Nero laughs, "You don't look much better yourself." He says, and then his tone becomes serious, "Do you need a report?"

"No need. Alexandria already filled me in." He says, nodding approvingly. "Someone else wanted to see you." He said jerking his head to the side of the tent.

Dressed in ragged clothes, reeking of alcohol and iron stood a man with a scar going through one of his eyes. Shaw. The young general smirks at Nero and comes to stand in front of him.

"So you took my advice, huh?" Nero asks. The General nods. He looks happier, and less tortured.

"And I brought the Legion quite a few Conduits Glass had rounded up." He says solemnly.

Nero smiles, "Glad to hear it. Thanks for that." He says, and winces, holding his side right where Glass's dagger went in.

"So I heard about your exploits at Lab 32." Shaw says. "You leveled the entire compound. How did you manage that?"

Before Nero can answer, a new voice pitches in. "By being a stubborn, rage induced hate storm." Jess says as she pushes her way into the tent.

"I'm also fun at parties." He says as he grins like a troublemaker. He limps to her and pulls her into a hug. "Hey little sis."

"Hey pain in my ass." She says, but hugs him nonetheless. Pulling away she frowns at him and pokes him in the chest. "Don't ever do that again."

"I won't." he promises.

"She speaks for all of us, Nero." Cole chastised. "No more solo mission, and for whatever the reason, no more liberating energy."

"Oh come o-"Jess pokes him again and glares at him. "Okay. No more liberating Energy."

"Good. Now we've got some important plans to discuss. About our next assault." Cole says wearily.

Nero frowns, "Can you survive another assault?" he asks.

"We won't be raising any new conduits here. There aren't any in Portland. This is to send a message."

"And that would be?"

Cole smirks. "That they can't stop us, no matter how hard they try."

"I like it. So when are we attacking?"

Cole studies him for a moment and grins wickedly. "In a week, so you can recover. I'm sending you and Alexandria."

"No one else?" he asks incredulously.

Cole shakes his head. "So how is this supposed to work?" Nero asks. Looking at everyone in the tent. Before anyone can answer, Alexandria emerges from the shadows.

"Come on, what's one city against two Umbramancers?" She jokes, her grin lopsided. "It's simple. A few Conduits brew up a nasty storm, Cole sends a surge through the city to cut the power, and you and I drown the city in shadows. Effectively eliminating everyone."

Nero blinks. Once. Twice. And on the third he releases a breath he didn't know he was holding. He looks at Cole and Shaw. "Will it work?"

Shaw nods, "It's the best plan of attack, and it'll scare the living Hell out of the higher ups." He says.

"Besides it'll give the President and Glass time to shit themselves." Alexandria pitches in.

Nero holds up his hands, and summons light in his left and, and shadows in the other. He grins at the group. "I'm in."


End file.
